Van Zandt County’s sheriff has resigned from his post following his arrest and indictment on a charge of giving a false statement to a peace officer, despite maintaining his innocence on the accusation.
Steve Hendrix, whose resignation will be effective May 14, held the Van Zandt County sheriff’s position for 18 months.
Hendrix confirmed his resignation in a letter to Van Zandt County Judge Don Kirkpatrick, saying his resignation was the “right choice” for him, his family, and the entire county.
The soon-to-be-former sheriff said he made the decision after weighing the consequences of the negative publicity his indictment is bringing to the county. He said the decision also came after careful thought, prayer, and consultation with his family.
According to the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office, Hendrix, Sgt. Blake Snell, and Dep. Jerry Wood allegedly lied to a Texas Ranger in December 2021 about an incident that occurred between ex-Chief Deputy Craig Shelton and an inmate identified as Nicholas Crouch. It is not clear precisely what lie the three men are accused of having told.
According to the DA’s office, Shelton admitted on January 10 that he struck Crouch in the face without justification while the inmate was in handcuffs. After the admission, Shelton was made to submit his peace officer license permanently in a deal to avoid being prosecuted for excessive force.
Indictments for charges of giving a false statement to a peace officer for Hendrix, Wood, and Snell soon followed on March 25.
Following his indictment, Hendrix’s attorneys released a statement stating the charges against their client were false and that Hendrix is looking forward to defending himself.
“Despite recent media reports and other comments made publicly, no false statement was made during or since the inception of the investigation into the alleged misconduct of Mr. Shelton,” Hendrix’s attorneys said in a statement according to CBS 11 News.
If found guilty of the misdemeanor charge, Hendrix could face up to six months in jail.
