Police: Man "recklessly discharged" gun inside south Austin car wash
AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 7 Austin) - A man has been arrested for recklessly firing his gun inside a car wash in south Austin Friday evening, according to Austin police.
Erick Rodriguez, 26, was arrested June 7 after officers responded to a shots fired call at the Jurassic Car Wash on South Congress Avenue.
According to an arrest affidavit, the owner of the car wash told officers he had heard a loud bang from inside the automatic car wash and upon investigating, found Rodriguez had gotten out of his vehicle while the wash was still going and said "I'm having a bad day, I just discharged my firearm."
Rodriguez was detained and stated the gun was unloaded in the passenger seat and that it had been fired toward the bottom left floorboard of the driver's side. According to the affidavit, Rodriguez told officers he had the gun out in his hand with his finger on the trigger when it suddenly fired. He told officers he believed the gun had been on SAFE and should not have fired when he pulled the trigger.
According to the affidavit, officers found a black, semi-automatic handgun in the passenger seat of Rodriguez's vehicle next to a loaded magazine with five 9mm rounds. Officers also found one round in the chamber after securing and isolating the gun and a spent cartridge on the floor between the door and the passenger seat. Officers observed several severed cables and damage to the bottom left part of the driver's side interior, says the affidavit.
Rodriguez was charged with discharge of firearm within certain municipalities, a Class A misdemeanor. Bond was set at $3,000.