Suspect in officer’s death facing new charges
Man linked to gang accused in two separate assaults prior to killing case
More charges have been brought against Robert Soliz for two unrelated clashes prior to his alleged involvement in the death of off-duty Houston police Sgt. Sean Rios.
Two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon were lodged late Wednesday against Soliz, 24, for incidents that happened in January and October . In both charges, he is accused of threatening to hurt a person and brandishing a weapon, court records show. The victims in each case are different.
Half a dozen Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies guarded the courtroom Thursday as Soliz appeared shackled and in an orange jumpsuit. Prosecutors then outlined the allegations behind each of the charges. The first incident is alleged to have happened at a Northside gas station. While buying cigarettes, the store clerk asked Soliz for an ID, which made Soliz angry, prosecutors said, describing probable cause documents.
He instigated a fight outside, and a second person began pistol-whipping the clerk, records show. Police were called and Soliz left in a Mercedes Benz — the same car believed to have
been driven in the deadly encounter with Rios, officials said.
The second charge from October stems from a road rage incident where Soliz was accused of tailgating a driver and taping it, prosecutors said.
Soliz pulled up next to the car at a light and asked, “Do you know who I am?” a witness said, describing the encounter to investigators.
He said he recognized Soliz from high school, and Soliz answered, “I’m gonna pop you,” prosecutors continued. Soliz got out of his car with another man and fired shots as the other car backed away, according to court records. Eight shell casings were found at the scene.
Judge Randy Roll set two new bonds at $100,000 on the charges. Soliz is already being held on a $500,000 bond following the death of Rios, killed Monday in a gunbattle near the Cactus King plant nursery along Interstate 45. The mortally wounded sergeant then stumbled into the nearby Taj Inn & Suites lobby and died.
OnWednesday, Paul Looney, a criminal defense lawyer for Soliz, demanded that the Houston Police Department hand their homicide investigation into Rios’ death to an outside agency to avoid conflicts of interest. He pointed to the dramatic arrest
Tuesday of Soliz — when Looney was bringing him to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office to surrender — as his reasoning. Police surrounded Looney and Soliz on the Katy Freeway at gun
point.
Police said they believe Rios may have been trying to intervene in a road-rage shooting involving Soliz, but Looney contends police lack the evidence to
prove that. No police radio traffic or video from the incident could immediately be found.
Soliz is also known to be a member of the Sauce Factory gang and has posted photos of
guns and stacks of cash to his social media accounts, authorities have said.