Man accused of shooting cheerleader in Elgin has court hearing
ELGIN, Texas - A man accused of shooting a cheerleader in an H-E-B parking lot in Elgin last year had his first court hearing Wednesday morning. He is facing two felony charges.
"A lot of people asked me, ‘did you think you were going to die or anything like that?’ But, for some reason, I just knew I wasn't," gunshot survivor Payton Washington told FOX 7 Crime Watch reporter Meredith Aldis in November 2023.
It has been a year and a half since Payton Washington was shot. She survived.
In April 2023, she and three of her teammates were on their way home after an out-of-town cheer practice. They stopped at an H-E-B in Elgin to drop off one of the cheerleaders at her car. Turns out it wasn’t her car, though.
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"We thought it was the exact same car," Washington told FOX 7 in November 2023.
It was Pedro Tello-Rodriguez's car. He fired multiple shots at the girls.
"I literally turned my whole body and that's why it hit me in the back. It was just crazy, there were gunshots through the steering wheel, through her evil eye on the mirror. It's just really, really, really insane," Washington told FOX 7 in November 2023.
Washington was shot three times. Court documents said Tello-Rodriguez drove off.
After investigators reviewed surveillance footage, Tello-Rodriguez was identified. He was found at his home wearing the same thing from the shooting and was arrested.
Tello-Rodriguez’s attorney said he voluntarily surrendered and relinquished his weapon.
Pedro Tello Rodriguez (left) and Payton Washington (right)
It wasn’t until August 2024 when Tello-Rodriguez was indicted on felony charges of deadly conduct discharging a firearm and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Tello-Rodriguez had his first hearing in Bastrop County Court.
"Pedro Tello-Rodriguez continues to cooperate fully with the Bastrop County District Attorney's Office, as he has from the beginning. Ms. Washington sustained her injuries after she entered Pedro's vehicle both uninvited and unannounced. Ms. Washington was texting and did not realize she entered the wrong vehicle. Pedro was understandably startled by the sudden intrusion by Ms. Washington. Pedro believed he was about to be robbed. Pedro had been robbed at gunpoint previously," Tello-Rodriguez’s defense attorney, Charlie Baird said.
"My whole main goal has been focusing on my future, so he’ll deal with what he did," Washington told FOX 7 in November 2023.
"We are optimistic this matter can be resolved to everyone's satisfaction very soon. Pedro continues to wish Ms. Washington a full recovery," Baird said.
Tello-Rodriguez’s next hearing is set for February 12.