BRYAN, Texas — A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for a March 2019 assault on a police officer, according to a release from the Brazos County District Attorney.
In March 2019, Lawrence Auston was pulled over by a Bryan Police officer for erratic driving and was pulled over. As the officer was walking up to Auston's vehicle to question him, he noticed the smell of PCP coming from the car.
The officer later attempted to arrest Auston for driving without a license, and a physical altercation soon broke out between the two. However, because Auston was under the influence of PCP, he wasn't able to feel pain at the time, meaning that ordinary arrest techniques would not work on him, according to Assistant District Attorney Jessica Escue.
Because ordinary arrest techniques wouldn't work on Auston, the officer needed to request backup. When backup arrived, they found Auston strangling the BPD officer.
During his trial, more evidence was presented against Auston, including evidence that he had broken into a stranger's home in the middle of the day while on bond, public intoxication charges, and a prior history of felony offenses.
Auston was sentenced on Thursday.
"We ask law enforcement to protect and serve our community by running towards dangerous situations and individuals. When fulfillment of that duty results in them being intentionally harmed, our community must respond to protect them," said Escue and Assistant District Attorneys Anjelica Harris in a joint release.