ACCOUNTABILITY TIME

Texas Deputies Indicted After Man Died Over Headlight Violation

The officers chased Javier Ambler, then tased him four times as he said he couldn’t breathe.

Former Williamson County, Texas deputy sheriffs James Johnson and Zachary Camden have been indicted on second-degree manslaughter charges over the 2019 death of Javier Ambler, according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. The two chased the 40-year-old Ambler in a pursuit they initiated over a headlight violation, then tased him four times as he said he couldn’t breathe and suffered from congestive heart failure. He died minutes later, after yelling, “Save me!”

“With these indictments, we have taken another critical step towards justice for the Ambler family and for our community,” Travis County District Attorney José Garza said in a statement. “While we can never take away the pain of the Ambler family, the grand jury has sent a clear message that no one is above the law.” Johnson and Camden face up to 20 years in prison if convicted. A previous internal investigation by the sheriff’s department cleared the two men of any wrongdoing. The pair both had Live PD TV crews shadowing them when Ambler died.