Prosecutor dismisses 13 cases tied to biker shootout in Waco

FORT WORTH, Texas — A Texas prosecutor on Thursday dismissed 13 cases stemming from a 2015 shootout in Waco involving bikers and police and recused himself from two others, placing into doubt the criminal prosecution of the more than 130 bikers still awaiting trial.

The actions came hours before a scheduled hearing for Jorge Salinas, whose case was among those dismissed. Current and former staff had been due to speak at the hearing about corruption allegations against District Attorney Abel Reyna, who faces a Republican primary election in March. The hearing was canceled.

According to a motion filed Thursday, the prosecutor dismissed Salinas’ case “in order to focus its efforts and resources on co-defendants with a higher level of culpability.”

The May 2015 shootout involving members of the Bandidos and Cossacks motorcycle clubs outside a Twin Peaks restaurant left nine bikers dead and 20 injured. Local police arrested 177 bikers after the mayhem, and more than 150 people were eventually indicted on felony charges of engaging in organized criminal activity resulting in the deaths and injuries.

Ballistics evidence showed that police bullets struck four bikers, killing at least two of them. The three officers involved were cleared by an internal investigation.

Nearly three years later, only one biker, Bandido chapter president Christopher “Jake” Carrizal, has been tried. Carrizal’s November trial resulted in a mistrial when jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict. The second biker set for trial rejected a plea deal in December.