The truck was spotted on a remote portion of County Road 227 near Bastrop Bayou. Three sheriff's department cars and a DPS trooper blocked the man in. They asked the man, who was believed to be armed, to get out of his vehicle, but he first refused.
Two Brazoria County investigators, who were in the area on an unrelated matter, arrived to assist in securing the scene. Negotiations with the man continued. He was described as hysterial, screaming at the officers to shoot him.
Officers saw the man raise a pistol to the right side of his head and firethe weapon. After exiting the victim's head, the bullet traveled outside the vehicle and struck Investigator Jimmy Miller in the upper left shoulder. At the time Investigator Miller was shot, he was issuing directives to the subject to drop the weapon and exit the vehicle.
"It's one of those freak accidents," said Brazoria County Sheriff Charles Wagner. "It probably could have been prevented. We'll be looking at it to see. Investigator Miller is the one who'll be telling us what he did wrong."
Investigator Jimmy Miller was transported from the scene aboard Lifeflight to Memorial Herman Hospital where he is listed in good condition.
At the time Investigator Jimmy Miller was shot, he returned four shots, striking the suspect's vehicle. Additionally, two shots were delivered by a back-up officer. None of the six shots struck the suspect.
The subject, Gerald Ryno, was pronounced dead at the scene by an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head by Brazoria County Justice of the Peace Milan Miller and transported to the Galveston County Medical Examiner in Texas City. Ryno has a lengthy criminal which dates back to 1992.
Investigator Jimmy Miller has been employed with the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office for 12 years. Deputy Miller was promoted to the Criminal Investigative Division in 2004.
Slideshow archive | ABC13 wireless | Help solve crimes
