Video released in 2018 officer-involved shooting; Travis County DA says use of force was justified
TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas - Video released this week shows the moment Travis County Sheriff's deputies opened fire on a suspect in 2018.
Deputies report it happened after the now-convicted Frank Soliz lead law enforcement officers on a wild chase ignoring multiple commands to stop.
Now that the investigation is over, the Travis County District Attorney’s office reports the use of force in the case was justified.
The incident began in Pflugerville when Pflugerville police were called out to a suspicious vehicle in a neighborhood. Officers drove past the truck and noticed someone sleeping in the driver's seat, later identified as Soliz. After running the plates, officers found out the truck was stolen from Bell County.
Officers placed stop sticks in front of the truck's rear passenger tire to prevent Soliz from evading the scene if he woke up and drove off. Officers announced themselves and called for Soliz to show his hands, according to a release from the DA's office. Soliz then started the truck and drove away.
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Soliz then took officers on a chase throughout the city, going through neighborhoods, parking lots, and eventually made his way onto the SH 130 toll road in the opposite direction of traffic.
Sometime later the Travis County Sheriff's office located the truck parked on a gravel road near a water plant. After deputies gave commands to Soliz to get out of the vehicle, Soliz drove away again, going into the fenced property around the water treatment plant, says the release.
Dashcam video from a deputy shows the pursuit continue on a gravel road. Soliz eventually got surrounded, but the chase doesn't end there. Soliz rammed into a deputy unit where deputies then open fire on the truck and its tires. They eventually surrounded Soliz again, and more back up arrived including armored vehicles.
Soliz eventually surrendered and was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Soliz was sentenced three years for aggravated assault and ten months for the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle charge.
