PRESS RELEASE – Personal Injury Lawsuit Filed Against Hunting Guides, Outfitter, and Ranch After Shooting Incident in Presidio County, Texas

Presidio, Texas – The law firm of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman filed a personal injury lawsuit Monday morning on behalf of Dr. Edwin Roberts and his wife, Carol Roberts. Dr. Roberts was shot multiple times by the hunting guides who were assigned to him while at the Circle Dug Ranch in Presidio County, Texas. The guides were later charged with felonies for their dangerous conduct.

We provide a pdf copy of the lawsuit filed in Presidio County District Court.

Background Facts

Dr. Roberts, a retired Florida chiropractor, and Carol Roberts hired Redwing Outfitters for a guided hunt at Circle Dug Ranch in Presidio County, Texas.  Michael Bryant and Walker Daugherty were assigned as their hunting guides.

On the evening of January 6, 2017, shortly after Dr. Roberts and Carol retired to their rented motorhome for the night, someone tried to break into the motorhome. Dr. Roberts warned the would-be intruder through the door that he was armed and to leave. The intruder responded in English that he was going to take the motorhome. Dr. Roberts fired a warning shot through the motorhome’s door, but did not hit anyone.

Dr. Roberts decided he and his wife would be safer if their motorhome were closer to the camp house where their guides were sleeping. While attempting to drive the motorhome closer to the camp house, Dr. Roberts was shot multiple times through the motorhome’s windows by the hunting guides. The lawsuit alleges that the guides had heard the commotion associated with the attempted break-in and decided to shoot blindly into the motor home. Dr. Roberts was airlifted to El Paso, Texas, for treatment of his gunshot wounds.

Previous National News Coverage

This shooting made national news because the hunting guides lied about the incident, claiming that the shots had been fired by illegal aliens. In addition to this civil suit, the guides are facing felony criminal charges for using deadly conduct by discharging firearms in the direction of others. U.S. Border Patrol agents assisted the sheriff’s office in the investigation and found that there was no sign of pedestrian traffic into or out of the camp on the evening of the shooting.

The Lawsuit

The plaintiffs’ attorney, Kevin Glasheen, of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, said “The defendants’ stories simply don’t add up. Our clients have hired us to get answers, and that’s what this lawsuit allows us to do.”

The lawsuit names Walker Daugherty, Michael Bryant, Bob Daugherty d/b/a Big Rim Outfitters f/k/a Redwing Outfitters, and Circle Dug Ranch Partnership as Defendants.

The lawsuit alleges that the guides were negligent in discharging their firearms without identifying their target or otherwise knowing who was in the motorhome at the time. It also alleges Redwing Outfitters was negligent in hiring, training, supervising, and retaining the guides, as well as entrusting them with firearms. Lastly, it alleges Circle Dug Ranch Partnership was guilty of premises liability negligence for failing to protect the plaintiffs from the criminal conduct that had been occurring in the area.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages in excess of $1 million for Dr. Roberts’ physical injuries as well as Carol Roberts’ mental anguish for being near her husband when he was shot and being with him immediately afterwards. The plaintiffs are also seeking exemplary damages from the defendants due to the extreme degree of risk posed by their actions.

“We were led to believe that we were going to be taken care of and that was not the case,” Dr. Roberts said. “To this day, they have not taken responsibility for their actions.”

For further information, please contact attorney Kevin Glasheen of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, LLP at (877) 404-6118.

Glasheen, Valles & Inderman Law Firm

Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, LLP is a personal injury law firm with offices in Odessa, El Paso, Lubbock, Austin, Albuquerque, San Antonio, and Dallas.