EL CAMPO — An El Campo landlord has been charged with assault causing injury after police say an attempt to serve an eviction notice turned violent earlier this month.
According to the El Campo Police Department, officers were dispatched around 5 p.m. on June 19 to the 500 block of Market Street after receiving a report of an assault.
When officers arrived, they found a 35-year-old man with redness around his neck, a bruise, and scratches on his face. The man told officers that 67-year-old Wade Allan Klimple had come to the residence to serve an eviction notice and that an argument followed.
The man alleged that Klimple assaulted him by choking him, throwing him into the yard, and then pushing him into the side of a truck before the altercation ended.
Police said the alleged assault had already stopped by the time officers arrived.
While speaking with Klimple, officers asked about redness around the victim’s throat. According to the officer’s report, Klimple responded, “We asked him about the redness around (the victim’s) throat. Klimple stated, ‘I might have had him right there.’”
After questioning both individuals and observing the reported injuries, officers determined Klimple was involved in the incident. Police noted there were no visible injuries to Klimple.
Klimple was arrested and taken to the El Campo Police Department before being transferred to the Wharton County Jail. Jail records show he posted a $5,000 bond and was released Sunday morning.
He is charged with assault causing injury, a Class A misdemeanor. If convicted, the offense carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
Texas law outlines specific rights and responsibilities for both landlords and tenants during the eviction process, including when a landlord may enter a rental property and how eviction notices must be handled.
As with all criminal cases, the charge is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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