A 21-year-old man who was shot Monday by a Denton County sheriff’s deputy during a traffic stop has died, a department spokesman said.
Roberto Carlos Hernandez, 21, of Argyle died 9:30 p.m. Monday at Presbyterian Hospital in Denton, said Tom Reedy, the spokesman. That was about five hours after he was shot near Krum.Michael Chadwick Fry, 28, of Bartonville, who also was in the car, was taken into custody on a warrant for probation violation, Reedy said. Hernandez also had a criminal background, records show.The deputy reported that he opened fire on the Honda Accord, striking the driver, after the car rammed his patrol vehicle during the traffic stop, Reedy said.Both men have had run-ins with the law. Arrests and convictions of Fry go back to 2001 and include disorderly conduct, assault causing bodily injury, public intoxication, theft and possession of marijuana, according to Denton County court records.An arrest warrant was issued for Fry on Oct. 10 for probation violation on a conviction of driving while intoxicated, Reedy said.Hernandez started crossing the law in 2008 for failure to attend school, followed by burglary, criminal trespass and marijuana possession, records show.There were no active warrants against him on Monday, although he was under a felony indictment for theft of materials, Reedy said.The incident on Monday happened just after 4:25 p.m. when the deputy observed a car speeding on Farm Road 1173, Reedy said. The area is about six-and-a-half miles northwest of Krum.Reedy said Tuesday in a news release that the deputy “clocked a white Honda Accord on radar traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed.”“He turned around and gave pursuit with his lights flashing,” Reedy said. “The vehicle sped ahead and turned into the driveway of a residence on the south side of the highway just past the intersection with Odneal Road.“The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Fry, moved into the back seat and the passenger, later identified as Hernandez, took his place in the driver’s seat.”The switch alarmed the deputy, although the reason for it was unclear on Tuesday, Reedy said.“The driver then placed his vehicle in reverse and accelerated toward the deputy and rammed the deputy’s vehicle,” Reedy said. “The deputy then fired at the driver, striking him several times. The suspect was taken by ground ambulance to Presbyterian Hospital, where he later died.”Reedy declined to release the deputy’s name because the case is still under investigation. He noted, however, that the deputy had been a sheriff’s office employee since 2001 and a patrol deputy for about five years.He was placed on administrative leave while Texas Rangers investigate, Reedy said.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
