A man has been charged with injury to an elderly person after he allegedly lured his father to a cliff and pushed him off.
According to Austin-Travis County EMS, the 78-year-old man fell around 50 feet and he received potentially serious injuries. The victim’s name has not been released by the authorities.
An affidavit stated that 49-year-old Gerald McCants left home on Sunday and returned a shortly after, telling his father to come with him to see a rattlesnake.
They drove half a mile away to Highland Crest Drive in the Ridge Oak Park neighborhood where they got out of the vehicle.
Police say McCants then lured his dad a few yards off the road, telling him the rattlesnake was over there.
As the victim went to look for the reptile, it is alleged that McCants then pushed his father over the cliff and he fell through dense undergrowth and brush.
The affidavit said the elderly man reported that he could hear McCants laughing as he fell.
ATC EMS responded to the scene at 9:07 a.m. after receiving a report of an assault. They found the man with deep cuts to the back of his head and forehead. He also had several minor cuts and abrasions all about his body.
The victim was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center for medical treatment. Initially, medics had said the man’s injuries were only minor. However, he was later declared a trauma alert.
McCants was taken to Travis County Jail and his bond was set at $20,000. Injury to an elderly person is a third-degree felony in Texas. Since senior citizens are seen as being less able to defend themselves, prosecutors often seek the maximum penalty for accused people.
The affidavit did not specify McCants’ motive.
If you’re facing criminal charges in Texas, reach out to a Houston criminal defense lawyer for advice and representation.