Texas City Officer Who Caused Fatal Crash Of 72-Year-Old Man Won’t Face Charges

The Texas City police officer involved in a fatal crash that left a man dead and his daughter injured will not be charged with criminal offences.

On Thursday, Officer Joseph Waggoner was cleared of all charges by the Galveston County grand jury.

Lois Weaver’s disappointment and anger continue to grow as she reflects on the loss of her father, George Arness. The 72-year-old had five children and 22 grandchildren before he was tragically hit and killed on March 18.

According to Weaver, his job should not even exist.

As Arness made a left turn at the intersection of FM 1764 and FM 2004, he was unexpectedly hit by Officer Waggoner, driving a Texas City police cruiser. According to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, the officer was en route to assist La Marque police on a call but failed to activate his lights and sirens at the time of the accident.

According to Weaver, justice was what she had been seeking all along. However, with the grand jury’s decision, she felt justice would not be served.

“I’m speechless, but I’m not surprised,” she expressed. “Since my dad was a working-class man who had worked hard all his life and retired, people didn’t care as much. Things would have been different if it were someone with money or fame. But because it was just an ordinary Joe like my dad, people didn’t care as much. They just said, ‘It sucks that he’s gone, but it’s not our problem.'”

ABC13’s request for comment or an update on Officer Waggoner’s duty status has not been answered by the Texas City police. Per the news release issued in March, he was assigned administrative duties following the accident.

Despite numerous attempts by ABC13 to reach Waggoner, we could not contact him.

Weaver expressed her frustration by highlighting the stark contrast between her father’s situation and someone who has committed wrongdoing but still enjoys the benefits of their job. “He’s still receiving his paycheck and can return home to his loved ones daily. Unfortunately, that’s not the case for my dad,” she stated.

It’s been almost 46 years since Arness and Weaver tied the knot, but tragically, he passed away just 10 days before their anniversary. Weaver is heartbroken and devastated by his loss, and the lack of compassion from the Texas City community has only made matters worse. The entire incident caused a rift in her family, leaving her bitter and alone.

“My family hasn’t even received an apology from them. We were forced to resort to a GoFundMe campaign to cover the funeral expenses for my father,” expressed the individual.

In response to the grand jury’s decision, Galveston County Criminal District Attorney Jack Roady, issued a statement.

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