Suspect cuffed after Pearsall standoff

Law enforcement officers in Frio County spent five hours and deployed special tactical measures in handling crisis incidents in Pearsall last week after two men barricaded themselves in their quarters.

Reports indicate that one of the men pointed a gun at officers who entered his room.

Deputies were dispatched to a motel on the west side of Pearsall at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 6, in response to reports of a man acting erratically and arrived to meet 47-year-old Juan Garcia, who is listed as a habitual offender.

“We have had several dealings with him,” Chief Deputy Peter Salinas said Friday.

Sheriff’s deputies say Garcia was wanted on several felony warrants that included possession of a weapon and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance; Garcia’s bonds totaled $190,000.

A search warrant was issued for the manager’s suite of the motel where Garcia lives, and deputies found the man hiding in a back room.

According to a report on the case, officers tried to enter the room and Garcia pointed a firearm at them, prompting an armed standoff.

“He went between pointing the gun at us to pointing it at himself,” a responding deputy reported.

A large law enforcement presence responded to the standoff, including deputies from Frio County, Pearsall and Dilley police and constables.

The sheriff’s office has confirmed that Garcia surrendered peacefully after an hour and was taken into custody.

Garcia was transported to the Frio County Jail where he remains as of presstime.

The second incident occurred 36 hours later when Pearsall police responded to a call at a home on Oak Street shortly before 3 a.m. on Saturday, July 8.

Records filed at the sheriff’s office show that 31-year-old Joshua Benavdiez had barricaded himself in a mobile home following an altercation.

“He was suicidal and had been involved in an assault,” the deputy reported.

An hour and a half later, deputies and police officers breached the front door and found Benavidez in the home.

The officers reported that Benavidez resisted arrest and that deputies used a Taser device to subdue the suspect. The man was later treated at Frio Regional Hospital for injuries he had allegedly sustained in a fight.

Pearsall police have issued a warrant for Benavidez’ arrest on two felony charges for possession of a controlled substance and aggravated assault causing seriously bodily injury.

“A barricaded gunman is one of the worst scenarios in law enforcement,” Sheriff Mike Morse said of the July 6 incident. “We have had several situations, as of late. I am very proud of my deputies in all of our standoffs. They have shown courage and restraint, and they always find a way to push forward, regardless of what they are confronted with.”