On September 3, 2024, at approximately 11:14 A.M., the Schertz Police Department responded to a report of a bullet hole discovered in a pickup truck in the 200 block of Spring Meadow Lane. Upon arrival, officers determined that the bullet had also traveled through a nearby trailer home before striking the vehicle.
Further investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) led officers to an adjacent trailer home, where they found a single exit hole from a firearm. Officers approached the resident of the home located in the 2000 block of Oak Street, but the individual was uncooperative. Detectives developed sufficient probable cause to obtain a search warrant.
As detectives initiated contact with the suspect in the middle of the street in front of the residence, the suspect attempted to flee and resisted being searched. During the subsequent search of the residence, detectives located a firearm, suspected illegal narcotics, and evidence indicating that the suspect had been tampering with evidence related to the crime.
The resident, identified as 29-year-old Garth Franken of Schertz, Texas, was arrested and transported to the Guadalupe County Jail. Franken is facing charges of Resisting Arrest, Search, or Transport (Class A Misdemeanor), Tampering with or Fabricating Evidence (Third-Degree Felony), and Deadly Conduct (Class A Misdemeanor). Additional charges related to the illegal contraband will be determined pending lab results. The investigation is ongoing.
Schertz Chief of Police James W. Lowery commented, "We are extremely lucky today that we are not working an aggravated assault or involuntary manslaughter case. Gun safety is paramount to the well-being of our community. Please secure your guns and treat them as always loaded. More than anything, alcohol and drugs do not go well with firearms. We also have gun safety locks at the Police Department for those residents that may need one."
