Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Intoxication Assault Charges Not Guilty in San Antonio

Case Outcome
Not Guilty Verdict in San Antonio, Texas
Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Intoxication Assault Charges

Dunham & Jones attorneys Deborah Sandheinrich and John Sandheinrich secured a Not Guilty verdict in the 144th District Court in San Antonio, Texas after a four day felony jury trial. The case was tried in Bexar County and involved allegations of Assault, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Aggravated Assault with Serious Bodily Injury. After two years of litigation and a full presentation of evidence, the jury deliberated for only thirty five minutes before returning a unanimous Not Guilty verdict.

This result confirms that even in high exposure felony cases, the State must still prove every element beyond a reasonable doubt. When the facts do not support the charges, a jury has the power to stop the case.

The Legal Challenge
Serious Felony Allegations and Claimed Intoxication

The State charged the client with multiple felony offenses arising from a traffic incident involving a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle. Prosecutors alleged that intoxication caused a crash and sought an affirmative deadly weapon finding. The charges carried the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence and long term consequences.

From the beginning, causation was the central issue. The evidence showed that the complaining witness drove his motorcycle into the client’s car, bounced off, accelerated, and then crossed back into the vehicle’s path where a second impact occurred. The State attempted to frame the incident as a one sided event caused by impairment. The physical evidence told a different story.

The prosecution also relied on blood test results that were only slightly above the legal limit. Those results became a major point of dispute before trial and during testimony.

Defense Strategy
Evidence Control Credibility and Causation

Deborah Sandheinrich led the defense effort to narrow the case to what could actually be proven. She challenged the State’s handling of evidence and exposed repeated violations of discovery rules. As a result, the court excluded nearly all of the State’s late produced material and admonished prosecutors for ignoring prior warnings.

The defense also attacked the reliability of the blood evidence. Problems with collection, handling, and disclosure led the court to exclude the results entirely. Without that evidence, the State’s intoxication theory collapsed.

Witness testimony was tested carefully. Law enforcement witnesses were unable to support the conclusions written in their reports. Each version of events weakened under cross examination. When the complaining witness testified, the jury learned that he had a pending civil lawsuit tied directly to the outcome of the criminal case. That financial interest mattered. It gave the jury a clear reason to question his account.

Throughout trial, the defense returned to causation. The physical movement of the vehicles, the timing of impacts, and the behavior of the motorcycle before and after contact showed that the State’s theory could not hold together.

Jury Verdict
Not Guilty After Brief Deliberation

After four days of testimony, the jury began deliberations late in the morning. Within thirty five minutes, they reached a verdict. The official Not Guilty finding was returned later that afternoon.

The speed of the decision reflected the clarity of the evidence and the absence of proof required for conviction.

What This Means for Felony Cases in Bexar County

This verdict shows that serious charges do not equal automatic guilt. Blood test numbers alone do not decide cases. Late evidence does not get a free pass. Motive and credibility matter.

In San Antonio and throughout Texas, Dunham & Jones takes felony cases to trial when the facts demand it. Careful preparation, strict enforcement of the rules, and focused presentation can stop even the most aggressive prosecution.

When the stakes are high and the facts matter, experienced defense makes the difference.