Victor Valdez at Valero station moments before shooting began in December 2013 incident. — Standard-Radio Post file photo
By Matt Ward —
Formal sentencing for a local veteran who attempted to end his life via “suicide by cop” during a shootout at the Valero gas station on Dec. 18, 2013 is expected tomorrow, Thursday, June 11.
Victor Antonio Valdez, 25, pled guilty in Boerne to 12 counts of aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated robbery on June 2, 18 months after a three-hour standoff ended with gunfire but no major injuries to law enforcement.
According to reports, Valdez was wounded in the buttock by one of the 177 bullets fired into the Valero Corner Store No. 980 — located at 516 South Adams Street — where Valdez had barricaded himself after ordering two employees off the premises with a 9 mm pistol.
A former lance corporal in the United States Marine Corps, Valdez had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by a Veteran’s Affairs (VA) hospital prior to the incident, according to his attorney, Pat Pattillo.
Guilt not at issue
Most of the three-day trial, which concluded Thursday, focused on the sentencing phase after Valdez pled guilty on all 14 counts on Tuesday, June 2.
Pattillo said yesterday that his client pled guilty “because he wanted to accept responsibility for his conduct.”
A Kendall County jury heard testimony following the plea as lawyers were unable to reach a deal on sentencing as the prosecution insisted on a life sentence.
“We had a profound disagreement with the state as to what an appropriate punishment was, considering all of the circumstances,” Pattillo said.
Following two days of testimony from investigators, PTSD experts and members of his Marine unit, the jury sentenced Valdez Thursday to 10 years in prison on the 12 aggravated assault counts and 10 years of probation on the two aggravated robbery counts.
“He has a very positive attitude about the trial and the verdict. He’s very, very pleased with it. He feels that it’s appropriate,” Pattillo said. “There’s no doubt that the past year-and-a-half of his incarceration has helped a lot.
“I think, as well, (he’s) just realizing that he is loved by his family and after he pays his debt to society and gets out, there’s a lot of hope and future ahead of him.”
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