MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – A teen utility worker is recovering in the hospital and a Magnolia man is in jail after a shooting Tuesday afternoon.
Keith Matthews, 53, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly shooting a teenage utility worker multiple times near a home in the 19000 block of Rustic Lane at 1:19 p.m. Tuesday.
Briley Delacruz Rodas, 19, was shot multiple times while he was on the job installing fiber optics cables, according to investigators.
Neighbors reported hearing at least four gunshots and said crews had been working in the neighborhood for several weeks to install the underground wires. They had to access various right-of-ways to complete the job.
Investigators have not shared a motive, but said there was some sort of disturbance that escalated to violence between Matthews and Rodas during the job.
“The worst we have to deal with is snakes and critters or dogs that are loose,” a neighbor who asked not to be identified said. “This kid’s job, it really probably kind of sucks because he has to go to people’s yards often because of utilities and homeowners are always so nice.”
Rodas is still in the hospital, listed in critical condition but stable.
Matthews is being held on a $200,000 bond. A family member told KPRC 2 News his elderly mother was inside the home sleeping when the shooting occurred, and she is now staying with other family members.
Earlier in the day, the neighbor said the crew had been working in her yard as well, and when she asked them about a box they installed that appeared to be on her property, she said “the young man got very defensive and pretty rude.”
She said the crew gave her directions to reach out to their supervisors for the companies involved with the project.
“No one deserves to be shot for something like that,” the neighbor said, calling the violence “excessive.”
KPRC 2 has requested court records and probable cause court footage to learn more about the shooting. We also have reached out to the companies neighbors said are connected to the ongoing work but so far no response has been received.
