A Galveston County refinery filed suit against a one-time employee for his alleged attack on another employee.
Blanchard Refining Company filed a complaint Sept. 25 in Galveston County District Court against Frank Joel Pina III, citing workplace violence.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 22, while working at the Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, the defendant assaulted and battered a fellow employee, David Rene Garza.
Because of the initial attack, Garza sustained an injury to his right knee, the suit states.
The defendant allegedly left and then returned and continued punching Garza repeatedly in the face leading to injuries to his nose. According to the complaint, several co-workers intervened and stopped the attack, and the defendant then left in a Blanchard Refinery vehicle, driving erratically and at a high rate of speed before stopping. Texas City police arrived and arrested the defendant, the suit states. Pina was terminated from employment Sept. 23.
According to the complaint, there have been reports of threats made toward Garza and his immediate family after Pina was released from jail.
The plaintiff seeks a temporary restraining order and injunction immediately pending trial. The plaintiff also seeks legal fees and all other costs decided by the court.
Blanchard Refinery is represented by attorney Joel Z. Montgomery of Shipley, Snell, Montgomery in Houston.
Galveston County District Court case number: 405:14-CV-1011
Refinery says former employee attacked another
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