AUSTIN COUNTY — Deputies with the Austin County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the area of Tiemann Road and Highway 159 West on Oct.
6 due to reports of several sub-
jects shooting firearms at road signs. A Bellville Police Officer
located the suspect vehicle in
the 5000 block of Highway 159 West. ACSO deputies identified
the suspects as Asher James, 18, Ronald Branter, 20, Roberto Elias, 21, and Elizabeth Kay, 21.
Several firearms were located in the vehicle, along with open containers of alcohol. During the investigation, deputies were able to determine that the sus- pects had discharged firearms at several road signs in the area of Tiemann Road.
Branter was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct (dis- charge of a firearm). Elias was
arrested and charged with criminal mischief, disorderly conduct (discharge of a firearm), and un - lawful carry of a firearm. Kay was arrested for public intoxication.
James was arrested and charged with criminal mischief and disorderly conduct (dis- charge of a firearm). In addi tion to those charges, defendant James was arrested on an active warrant for theft of property 30K to 150K.
Prior to this date, the Austin County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division led an in- vestigation into James's involve ment with stolen vehicles. As a result, investigators and deputies recovered two stolen vehicles and secured an arrest warrant for James's role in the crimes.
All defendants were booked into the Austin County Jail in Bellville.
