Wilmer City Councilman, attorney dispute terroristic threat charge after gas station confrontation
Wilmer City Councilman disputes terroristic threat charge
A Wilmer City Councilman is disputing a charge for making a terroristic threat after he was arrested following a confrontation at a Shell gas station last week. FOX 4's Peyton Yager has more.
WILMER, Texas - The Wilmer City Councilman charged with making a terroristic threat in a gas station confrontation last week disputes those claims in an interview with FOX 4.
Wilmer City Councilman arrest
Moses Garcia, 53
What we know:
On July 27, Wilmer City Council Member Moses Garcia was arrested and charged with making a terroristic threat after a July 22 confrontation at a Shell gas station.
Surveillance video from the Shell station shows Garcia telling Rickey Jackson he's responsible for removing Wilmer's police chief, mayor, and other personnel from their offices.
"Have you heard about me yet? You haven’t heard about me? (expletive) I got the (expletive) mayor gone, the chief gone under my administration. I've only been here 2 months," Garcia can be heard telling Jackson.
Garcia is also alleged to have used a racial slur towards Jackson, a Black man, during the confrontation. Garcia's son can be seen holding his father back after Garcia and Jackson continue to exchange words.
Police believe Garcia was the primary aggressor based on the surveillance video, and said Garcia appeared intoxicated during the incident.
Jackson told FOX 4 after the confrontation he's not involved in city politics. "I wasn't bothering him. I ain't said nothing. I don't know his problem."
What they're saying:
"There is a lot of false information out there. People want my city council seat."
In an interview with FOX 4's Peyton Yager, Moses Garcia and attorney Joshua Carpenter discussed the incident surrounding Garcia's arrest, but were mum on details from the incident.
"There are things we can't quite get into. The long story short is, this incident is obviously is part of a bigger picture. A lot of things have been happening in Wilmer," Carpenter told Yager.
Moses Garcia (L) and Joshua Carpenter (R)
Carpenter would not address if Garcia was intoxicated during the confrontation, or if Garcia used a racial slur during the confrontation.
"We cannot comment what he may or may not have said on the video. There are still pending investigation and pending charges," Carpenter said. "If there were words spoken, they probably happened in the heat of passion when they were yelling at each other."
Garcia says he and Jackson have known each other for over 40 years.
Wilmer interim police chief arrested
Jesus Mancillas, 58
Dig deeper:
The same day Garcia was arrested, Wilmer acting police chief Jesus Mancillas was arrested and charged with interfering with public duties.
Mancillas allegedly tried to take control of the surveillance video of Garcia's confrontation with Jackson during the Wilmer Police Department's investigation.
However, Mancillas was only acting in an administrative role as interim police chief, and not as a Texas Peace Officer.
Mancillas was brought in to oversee a separate issue within the Wilmer Police Department before his arrest. The City of Ferris lists Mancillas as its City Marshal on their website.
"I met him and asked him to be the acting chief," Garcia tells Yager. "I know he was a marshal for the City of Ferris and I asked him if he could help me because the department had gotten out of control."
Garcia says he did not contact Mancillas in between the confrontation with Jackson and his arrest.
What's next:
A planned special Wilmer City Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 30, has been canceled, according to the city's website.
Wilmer tells FOX 4 that agenda items for that special meeting will be addressed during an August 6 City Council meeting.
The Source: Information in this story comes from an interview with Moses Garcia and his attorney, the City of Wilmer and previous FOX 4 reporting.