Jim Skinner Sheriff at Collin County | Official website
District Attorney Greg Willis's office has secured a 30-year prison sentence for Josiah Perez, who was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a public servant. The 27-year-old from Sachse, Texas, received the sentence following his conviction by a jury.
The incident occurred on September 2, 2022, when two City of Sachse police officers were ambushed while in their parked squad car. Officer Cory Bable and Sergeant Brent Merryman were completing a report when Perez approached from behind and fired a short-barreled shotgun into the driver's side window. Officer Bable was injured by the blast but managed to push the shotgun away while attempting to disarm Perez.
Sergeant Merryman exited the passenger seat and returned fire at Perez. Despite being shot twice, Perez continued to threaten the officers before being neutralized by Merryman. Two additional live shotgun shells were found on Perez upon his arrest. It was confirmed during the trial that neither officer had prior interactions with Perez before this incident. The case investigation was led by the Texas Rangers.
During sentencing, jurors heard testimonies from two Mesquite police officers about previous encounters with Perez, including an incident involving spitting at an officer in Dallas County. After reviewing all evidence presented, the jury determined a punishment of 30 years in prison.
Following the sentencing, District Attorney Greg Willis stated: "Perez ambushed officers from behind while they were pulled over completing their responsibilities on an unrelated call. We're so thankful for their brave and heroic actions, and this case is a reminder that there are no routine calls or routine days for a police officer."
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Ashlyn Scott and Dewey Mitchell prosecuted the case with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Laurie Gibbs.
Alerts Sign-up