By DIANTÉ MARIGNY
editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com
Nearly six months after the tragic death of Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia, the man responsible learned his fate. On Monday, April 21, 47-year-old Jesse Leatherwood was sentenced by a jury to 35 years in state prison.
“While this verdict brings some sense of closure, many of us, including Ruben’s close friends, family, and all of us at Cameron County Constable Precinct One, are deeply let down,” the Constable’s Office shared in a Facebook post. “Some felt the sentence was fair, but many of us were hoping for at least 50 years or more, a punishment we felt would better reflect the magnitude of the life that was taken.”
On April 17, a jury found Leatherwood guilty of intoxication manslaughter. Xanax, the day before the crash, and cocaine, the morning of the crash, were the drugs Leatherwood was accused of being on. He was also accused of being on his phone just moments before the crash.
The crash occurred on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at approximately 6:45 p.m. on State Highway 48 near Marine Way Road, in Brownsville. Garcia’s patrol unit was parked on State Highway 48 while he assisted with another crash scene. Deputy Garcia was inside the vehicle, about to leave, when a white Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Leatherwood, rear-ended the patrol unit. According to Cameron County Constable Precinct One, immediate effort was made to save Garcia’s life, but he passed shortly after being
transported to Valley Regional Hospital in Brownsville, Texas.
“Ruben was more than just a deputy… he was a friend, a son, and a true public servant who gave his life in the line of duty,” the Precinct One’s Facebook post went on to say. “His absence continues to weigh heavily on all of us.”