STAFFORD, TX (KTRK) -- A Fort Bend County man who was shot in the face by a Stafford police officer has filed a lawsuit in federal court.
Jay Mazoch was shot two years ago by Stafford police officer Ann Carrizales. In the lawsuit, he and his attorney claim it was an unprovoked attack and they want the city and the officer to be held accountable.
The officer that pulled the trigger, Ann Carrizales, is a U.S. Marine sergeant turned Stafford cop. Mazoch's attorney Randall Kallinen says his client initiated contact to ask about a shooting that had happened in the neighborhood. According to the lawsuit, an officer asked him to leave. He turned around. That same officer stopped him, and at some point hit, him in the face through the driver side window with a metal object.
"You can see the vehicle on the video moving forward at a slow rate of speed and then it comes to a complete stop. Then you see Officer Carrizales come around to the front and point a gun at Mr. Mazoch and fire. That's excessive force," Kallinen says.
"A shot to the head is a kill shot to me. And I don't know that during any of anyone's explanation that he should have been killed," adds his mother Leanne Mazoch.
In dashcam video from the seconds before the shooting, you can also hear an altercation that sounds line Mazoch wasn't following instructions.
Stafford police released a statement Tuesday saying it's strongly disagrees with the facts at allegations made by Mazoch, and said, "We look forward to our day on court."
Mazoch is suing for an unspecified amount. He also faces two charges related to this incident. Aggravated assault on a public servant and DWI. The DWI was added months later.