Man ordered to have evaluation
Defendant accused of shooting deputies, damaging patrol cars
A mental evaluation was ordered Thursday for a DeKalb, Texas, man accused of shooting two Bowie County Sheriff’s deputies, injuring a third and rendering three patrol cars inoperable after pointing a gun at firefighters.
Bryan Lee Batchelor, 48, appeared before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell for a pre-indictment hearing Thursday morning. After Tidwell appointed the Bowie County Public Defenders Office to the case, public defender Shoaib Daredia requested a court order for a mental evaluation.
“Due to the nature of the allegations, I feel it would be in the best interest of the defendant,” Daredia said.
First Assistant District Attorney Mike Shepherd said the state agrees with Daredia’s request.
Batchelor allegedly pointed a gun at members of the DeKalb Volunteer Fire Department who
responded to a call concerning a house engulfed with fire at 4640 Farm to Market Road 44 E., according to a probable cause affidavit used to create the following account. The caller who reported the blaze told dispatchers Batchelor had been talking about setting his house on fire.
Bowie County court records show no prior criminal history for Batchelor in the county. However, records do show that his wife, who is listed as co-owner of the burned-out house in property records, filed for a divorce in mid-August. A standard order attached to the petition, which was presumably served on Batchelor, prohibited him from “terminating or in any manner affecting the service of water, electricity, gas” and other services.
When Bowie County deputies arrived shortly after midnight Sept. 17 to assist the fire department, Batchelor allegedly drove his 2014 Dodge pickup into a nearby field. Batchelor allegedly shot two deputies as he evaded them and the deputies returned fire. A third deputy was injured when Batchelor slammed his truck into the officer’s patrol car. In all, Batchelor is accused of being responsible for heavy damage to three patrol cars.
Batchelor was hospitalized for several days because of gunshot wounds he suffered when deputies returned fire. All of the wounded deputies are expected to recover.
Batchelor is currently being held in the Bowie County jail on more than $3 million in bail. He is charged with three counts of aggravated assault on a public servant and with felony evading arrest. Those charges could change or be added to as the investigation continues. Batchelor has not been charged with arson.
Tidwell scheduled the case for a status hearing in November.