By Anita Miller
By the time Hays County deputies reached the residence on Thursday, Aug. 27, the daughter of Orlando Zapata had already taken action to stop him.
Witnesses told them the 32-year-old, who had been jailed in Hays County in May for threats against his family, had showed up “highly intoxicated” at his daughter’s home ion Goldenrod Street and that the daughter had used pepper spray on him when he tried to shove her.
When officers tried to move him in order to treat his eyes, Kyle spokeswoman Rachel Sonnier said, “He became extremely agitated and began screaming.” As they tried to help him get the substance off his face, Zapata unleashed a verbal tirade against his daughter.
“Officers believed he was going to assault her, so they pulled him away,” Sonnier said. “Zapata fell to the ground during the incident and officers detained him.”
Zapata was taken to Ascension Seton hospital to be treated for an ankle injury but continued to act out, attempting to “charge” one officer. It took two officers to get him into a wheelchair and into the ER, where he made verbal threats against them as well as a hospital security guard.
“When he was cleared by Seton, officers and security tried to place him into the police vehicle and Zapata attempted to pin an officer's hand between the car door and his foot,” Sonnier said. “Once at the jail he resisted and was placed in a holding chair and processed.”
He was charged the third degree felony offense of obstruction and retaliation, the state jail felony charge of making a terroristic threat against a peace officer and making a terroristic threat against family, which is a Class A Misdemeanor.
He remained behind bars Friday under bonds totaling $28,000.
Online records show that Zapata was arrested by the Kyle Police Department in May for threatening his family.
