A Montgomery County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted in Leon County and terminated from his place for his alleged involvement in a crash that killed one other deputy greater than a 12 months in the past.
Deputy James Francis was positioned beneath arrest Thursday and terminated from his job, based on the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Workplace. The crash occurred on Feb. 21, 2024, when Francis and Deputy Charles Rivette had been in Leon County transporting an inmate and Rivette died within the collision.
In a press release to reporters, Montgomery County Sheriff Wesley Doolittle mentioned the scenario was tragic and that his division could be cooperating through the authorized course of.
“The lack of Deputy Rivette is deeply felt by all who knew and served alongside him, and the occasions that adopted have solely added to the sorrow,” Doolittle wrote within the assertion. “We stand agency in our duty to make sure accountability whereas additionally recognizing the gravity of this second for everybody concerned. Our ideas are additionally with the person who sustained life-altering accidents on this incident. In occasions like these, we should assist each other, honor these we’ve got misplaced and stay steadfast in our dedication to justice and integrity.”
In response to experiences from the time of the crash, Francis was behind the wheel when deputies had been driving south on Interstate 45 and collided with a semi-truck. Rivette was ejected from the passenger seat and was hit by a truck, based on the Texas Division of Public Security’s preliminary investigation. Two further semi-trucks then crashed into the deputy’s car.
A complete of 5 automobiles had been concerned within the crash, during which Francis and the inmate additionally had been injured.
On Thursday, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned it could not be offering any additional data concerning the case.
The case is being prosecuted by the Leon County District Lawyer’s Workplace. On the time of publication Friday, no authorized filings concerning the case had been obtainable on-line.
