Warrant affidavit: Denton officer smelled marijuana during traffic stop before gunfire erupted
DENTON, Texas - A Denton police officer was questioning two suspects about marijuana moments before he was shot in the head, an arrest warrant affidavit revealed.
The arrest warrant for the alleged gunman reveals new information about what happened Tuesday morning when Denton Police Officer Urbano Rodriguez was shot.
Police say the alleged getaway driver is cooperating, but the man accused of pulling the trigger is not.
Denton Police Chief Frank Dixon tweeted out early Tuesday that Officer Rodriguez had a second surgery to repair his broken femur. That was successful, but Rodriguez remains in critical condition.
According to the arrest affidavit for accused gunman Antwon Pinkston, after Rodriguez pulled over Pinkston and Michele Stacey, the officer told them he “smelled marijuana inside of the car and began a dialogue with the two occupants.”
That’s when Officer Randy Cole arrived as backup. Moments later, police say one of the officers yelled Pinkston had a gun and then gunfire erupted from inside the car.
Bullets struck Rodriguez in the head and the leg, and he went down. Officer Cole returned fire. Police say Stacey, who was the driver, took off. They were later picked up by police from other agencies.
During questioning, police say Stacey told the investigator she drove off because Pinkston ordered her to and he had a gun.
The affidavit says Pinkston was uncooperative and said he didn’t remember what happened.
When Eagle Gun Range Owner David Prince heard about the shooting, he decided to hold a raffle to raise money for Rodriguez and his family.
“We wanted to do something really quick and get it to them,” he said. “Because they’re going to have transportation issues, eating out more, visits to the hospitals, tollway, toll tax.”
Prince says since Tuesday’s shooting, he’s already raised more than $2,000.
Chief Dixon wrote on Twitter: “Words cannot express how appreciative Denton PD and the Rodriguez family is with the overwhelming support. We are encouraged this morning by signs of responsiveness from Officer Rodriguez.”