Lorenzo Gonzalez

Introduction

Lorenzo Gonzalez is a member of the San Marcos City Council in Texas, where he represents Place 5. On Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, the 38-year-old council member was arrested in downtown Austin and charged with assault on a public servant, a third-degree felony, after an altercation involving two security officers near Lavaca Street. According to the arrest affidavit, Gonzalez allegedly pushed one security officer and bit another officer’s hand after being restrained on the ground. The arrest of a sitting council member drew coverage from television stations and public radio across the region and raised questions about whether he could continue to serve. Gonzalez has not publicly addressed the incident, and the charge has not been adjudicated.

Background Information

Gonzalez has served on the San Marcos City Council for one year and 10 months, according to court documents. He represents Place 5, and his term runs through 2027, according to the city website. He is 38 years old. When he was arrested, bond records listed his employer as the City of San Marcos, with City Council given as his position. The charge he faces carries extra weight under Texas law: assault would normally be a Class A misdemeanor, but it is enhanced to a third-degree felony when the victim is a public servant or security guard. “That normally would be a Class A misdemeanor. It gets enhanced to that third-degree felony when a public servant or security guard, like this case, is involved,” criminal defense attorney Gene Anthes told FOX 7 Austin.

The Controversy or Incident That Led to Their Cancellation

Allegations. The account below consists of allegations drawn from an arrest affidavit and Austin police accounts. Gonzalez has never admitted to these allegations, they have not been criminally proven, and the case has not been adjudicated. Gonzalez has not publicly addressed the incident. He is presumed innocent, and a criminal charge is not a conviction.

Per the arrest affidavit, Austin police officers responded on Sunday, Sept. 13, to reports of two separate altercations near Lavaca and 3rd Street in downtown Austin. The initial incident involved a man identified in the affidavit as Richard, who was hit in the face by a subject who fled the scene before officers arrived. While Richard was speaking with security guards, Gonzalez “walked up to security staff and began arguing” about the first assault, according to the affidavit.

Video surveillance provided by the security company allegedly shows Gonzalez beginning to argue with the security guards and then pushing one of them twice, and one of the guards claimed Gonzalez also punched him in the chest. Gonzalez was pushed away in return and seconds later “fell to the ground,” per the affidavit. As security attempted to detain him, one of the security guards said Gonzalez bit him on the hand. The Austin Police Department detective who responded to the scene observed a puncture wound between the guard’s index finger and thumb, with blood around the area where Gonzalez had allegedly bitten him. The affidavit states that Gonzalez also pushed and punched another security guard, and the police officer who arrived at 301 Lavaca St. at 5:45 p.m. said Gonzalez pushed one security officer and bit the other’s hand after being restrained on the ground.

Gonzalez was arrested and charged with assault on a public servant, a third-degree felony.

Public Reaction and Consequences

News of the arrest was reported across Central Texas media, with FOX 7 Austin, KSAT, and KUT each citing the arrest affidavit in their accounts. Gonzalez was arrested on a $5,000 bond but was released on Monday, and he appeared before a judge in Austin that same day. Despite the felony charge, he returned to his duties at the San Marcos City Council’s Tuesday meeting.

Criminal defense attorney Gene Anthes, speaking to FOX 7 Austin about the case, said the council seat itself is protected by local law: “He can’t be removed from the San Marcos City Council under their city charter unless he’s actually convicted.” Anthes added that a case such as this could take up to a year to resolve, and that while “the punishment range is anywhere between, in theory, two to ten years in prison,” the realistic worst-case scenario would be “in between four and five years of probation.”

The City of San Marcos said it did not have any information to share beyond what is included in the city charter regarding council eligibility, and because Gonzalez was not acting in an official capacity at the time of the incident, the city said it had no additional comment. FOX 7 reached out to Gonzalez as well as his attorney for comment but had yet to hear back, and Gonzalez’s office has not responded to KUT News’ request for comment.

Current Status

Gonzalez remains a member of the San Marcos City Council as his case moves through the courts. His next scheduled court appearance is Sept. 28. He attended the council meeting that followed his arrest but has not addressed the incident publicly. Because he has not been convicted, the city charter does not require him to vacate his Place 5 seat, and a case of this kind could take up to a year to resolve. His office has not responded to media requests for comment.

Impact on Their Career/Life

So far, the felony charge has not cost Gonzalez his council seat. Under the San Marcos city charter, he cannot be removed unless he is actually convicted, as Anthes noted, and Gonzalez was back at the council table at the Tuesday meeting following his weekend arrest, with his term running through 2027. The legal process ahead could still stretch on for up to a year. If convicted, the theoretical punishment range runs from two to ten years in prison, though Anthes said prison is not a likely outcome and the realistic worst case would be between four and five years of probation. Until the case is resolved, Gonzalez continues to serve on the council while the allegations against him remain publicly unaddressed and unproven.