WILSON COUNTY, Texas – UPDATE: This article now contains arrest details provided by the Corpus Christi Police Department
A veteran Wilson County Sheriff’s deputy is on administrative leave, after his Memorial Day arrest in Corpus Christi on multiple criminal charges.
Deputy Toribio “Toby” Garcia, 34, faces a felony charge of driving while intoxicated with a passenger under the age of 15 and a misdemeanor charge of unlawful carry of a weapon, officials from Nueces County and Wilson County confirmed Monday.
Garcia was arrested May 31 by Corpus Christi police officers, according to his booking records.
A spokesman for the Corpus Christi Police Department released the following details from Garcia’s arrest Tuesday morning:
On May 31, 2021 Officers were dispatched to 3300 Olsen about a male causing a disturbance and refusing to leave. When the officers arrived at the location the male had departed the residence with an adult female and children. The Reporting party gave a description of the male and of the vehicle that he was driving. The officers were able to locate the vehicle at 3100 Holly road, found the male that was described by the reporting party behind the wheel and the vehicle running. Upon contact with the male the officers found him to be intoxicated. The Standard Field Sobriety Tasks (SFST) were administered and the male Toribio Garcia failed the tasks. He was arrested for Driving while Intoxicated with child due to children being in the vehicle. In addition to DWI Toribio was charged with Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon when a weapon was found within his immediate control in the vehicle.
Wilson County Sheriff Jim Stewart on Monday said Garcia has been on administrative leave since the agency found out about his arrest June 1 and that he has been relieved of duties until the investigation is complete.
“Until this time Deputy Garcia has been a deputy in good standing and we are disappointed in this incident as it is not in line with the standards our deputies are held to,” Sheriff Stewart said via email Monday afternoon.
Garcia has worked for WCSO since 2009.
Media relations officials with the Corpus Chris Police Department did not respond to a request Monday for preliminary details of Garcia’s arrest.
DWI with a passenger under 15 is a state jail felony offense.