A man arrested in Roma is facing a serious felony charge. Court papers say he hit a Roma police officer. This happened while the officer tried to arrest him.
Jose Hervey Perez is in his early 50s. The arrest happened in Roma, which is in Starr County. Court papers charge him with Assault on a Public Servant. That charge is a 3rd degree felony. In Texas, that can mean 2 to 10 years in prison. It can also mean a fine up to $10,000.
Perez faces a second charge too. It is called Resisting Arrest. The full name is Resisting Arrest, Search, or Transportation. That charge is a Class A misdemeanor. It can mean up to one year in the Starr County Jail. It can also mean a fine up to $4,000.
This case matters to Roma families. It shows what can happen when a police call turns violent. It shows the risk officers face on family calls.
Court papers say the trouble started on June 30, 2026. Roma Police Officer Reynaldo Rodriguez Jr. went to an apartment complex in Roma. He got a call about a drunk man. The man was high on cocaine, court papers say. He was in a fight with his own family.
Officer Rodriguez found the man at the complex. Court papers say it was Perez. The officer tried to detain him. He tried to put handcuffs on Perez.
Court papers say Perez pushed Officer Rodriguez. The sworn complaint says Perez swung a closed fist at the officer. It says Perez also pushed him. It says this hurt the officer.
The fight did not stop right away. Court papers say it went on for several minutes. Backup officers showed up to help. Together, they got Perez under control.
The complaint says Perez knew Rodriguez was a cop doing his job. It says Perez used force to stop the officer from arresting him. That is the second charge, Resisting Arrest.
Texas law treats a hit on a cop as more serious than a normal assault. A punch or shove against most people is often a misdemeanor. The same act against a cop on duty can be a felony. Lawmakers made the law that way to protect officers doing their jobs.
A Roma judge signed two arrest warrants on July 3, 2026. One warrant covers the felony charge. The other covers the resisting arrest charge.
Officers arrested Perez on July 7, 2026. They booked him into the Starr County Jail.
A judge set bail at $50,000 on the felony charge. That kind of bail needs a bondsman. The bondsman helps pay to get a person out of jail. Bail on the resisting arrest charge was set at $2,000. That charge got a personal bond instead. Perez just had to sign a paper. He promised to show up in court.
The case is open in Roma Municipal Court. Cause number 26-033 covers the felony charge. Cause number 26-034 covers the resisting arrest charge.
Court papers do not name any other witnesses. Only the officer is named. El Tejano is not naming the apartment complex. This protects the people who live there.
Perez has not been convicted of any crime. Under the law, he is innocent until a court says otherwise.
El Tejano will follow this case. We will report updates as it moves through court.
