[TX] Police Chief Cardenas arrested for shooting at wife's ex

[Excerpts from 3 articles] It's a case of a local police chief charged with violating the law by shooting at a man Wednesday night... Edcouch Police Chief Eloy Cardenas remains off the job while authorities probe further into the incident that got him arrested nearly a week ago. Both Hidalgo County Sheriff's investigators and officials with the city are looking into all that led up to Cardenas opening fire on his wife's ex-husband. Cardenas was charged with deadly conduct... Cardenas didn't deny grabbing a shotgun and firing beanbag shells at his wife's former husband, as the man drove by their house... Rodriguez's car had two holes in the rear driver-side window, but Rodriguez was not injured... Cardenas maintains it was in self-defense and that his wife's ex-husband had been harrassing and threatening his family... Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said Cardenas and Rodriguez had filed some 15 reports against each other over the years. Hector Villarreal, attorney for Cardenas, said that Rodriguez had provoked the incident by ramming his car into the fence around Cardenas' home. Trevino said they are investigating that allegation, but it appears to be an earlier, separate incident. Villarreal also said that Rodriguez had earlier threatened to kill Cardenas' horse and dog. Both later turned up dead, Villarreal said... Cardenas was arraigned Friday afternoon and released on $20,000 personal recognizance bond. The charge could carry a sentence from two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine... Edcouch police chief Eloy Cardenas is now on administrative leave and tonight the mother of the man he's accused of firing shots at is speaking out. Maria Rodriguez says this Wednesday night shooting is no act of self defense... According to Rodriguez, Cardenas threatened her son on many occasions. She says the chief of police has even arrested her son for no reason at all. She believes Cardenas got away with harassing her son for three years now because he is chief of police. "Si hubiera sido al revez.. imaginese si mi hijo hubiera hecho eso," she asked. "Usted cree que hubiera salido de la carcel?" Imagine if it had been the other way around, she asks. Do you think my son would be out of jail already? Cardenas faced a judge Friday. He's now out on a PR bond. We tried reaching him for his reaction to the allegations against him, but could not get a hold of him.

Sources:
- Edcouch Chief Suspended, Team 4 News, TX, March 6, 2008
- Edcouch police chief arrested in shooting, The Associated Press, Feb. 29, 2008
- Mother of Victims Speaks Out in Edcouch Police Chief Case, Team 4 News, TX, Denisse Cantu, March 3, 2008