AUSTIN, Texas — A man who was arrested for pushing a park ranger into Lake Austin faces another charge stemming from the incident.
Brandon Hicks, 25, was arrested and charged with attempted assault on a public servant, after he allegedly pushed a park ranger into Lake Austin and ran away. Hicks' bond was set at $7,500 for the assault charge, according to online county records.
Video of the incident was posted on Reddit. WARNING: It contains offensive language.
Hicks was charged for retaliation – a third degree felony – on May 8 for events that occurred while being arrested by the Austin Police Department for pushing the park ranger into Lake Austin on April 30.
According to an affidavit, Austin police were flagged down by a few people who said a park ranger had been pushed into the water. Those people gave APD a description of the suspect, later identified as Hicks, and officers located and arrested Hicks.
An APD officer checked Hicks for weapons and Hicks became "very aggressive and began yelling and cursing" at the officer, the affidavit stated.
Hicks was placed in the backseat of the patrol car and officers tried to positively identify him by asking him his name, according to the affidavit. The officer stepped out of the vehicle after Hicks spit on a window, and Hicks then began kicking the plexi-glass divider inside, the affidavit said.
Police said Hicks appeared to be under the influence of alcohol, narcotics, or both.
The affidavit stated it took APD nearly 30 minutes to transport Hicks to the Travis County Jail, and Hicks berated and made threats of violence against the officer transporting him approximately 13 times.
When the officer got Hicks to the Travis County Jail, Hicks got louder and more aggressive to the point where jail staff had to assist the officer remove Hicks from the vehicle, the affidavit said.
Hicks was arrested and booked into the Travis County Jail on May 8 for the retaliation charge, according to online records. Records show he was released later that same day.
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