HOUSTON — A man accused of preying on an older Spring Branch couple and assaulting a deputy was in court this morning.
Shane Jennings, 54, is facing 11 charges, including aggravated assault, assault of a public servant and robbery after the attack last week.
According to court documents, Jennings showed up at the victims' home where he banged on the door and said he owed the husband money and wanted to pay him back.
Earl Koehn, who has dementia, looked out and said he didn't know the guy. Sharon Koehn said that's when Jennings forced his way inside.
"It all happened so fast. It's kind of a blur," Sharon told us.
She said Jennings attacked her husband with a sharp object, knocked him to the ground and demanded money.
"He pulled out a piece of metal, like, a shiv about 6 or 7 inches long that had been sharpened," Sharon said. "That's when I ran out the door screaming for help."
Pastor Heath Haynes, a neighbor, heard the screams and ran to help.
"I see Earl on the ground with a coatrack over his chest and a man with his back to me rifling through his pockets," Haynes said.
When he yelled at Jennings to stop, he ran into the backyard. Haynes followed him with the camera on his phone rolling.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, man?" Haynes can be heard saying in the video.
"I'm not doing anything," Jennings replied.
"You're beating that man up?" Haynes said while pinning Jennings to a fence.
"I did not do anything to him," Jennings said.
"Why is he on the ground?" Haynes asked.
"Stop pushing me. I can't even breathe," Jennings told him.
"Well, how do you think he feels?" Haynes replied. "I'm not going to stop. How do you think he feels?"
The man got loose, and used Earl's keys to get inside the couple's truck where he locked the doors. Another vehicle was parked behind the truck so Jennings couldn't back out. Instead, he drove through neighbors' fences and backyards and crashed into cars until he got away.
He didn't get far. When deputies pulled him over, Jennings assaulted one of them before he was taken into custody, according to prosecutors.
Along with 11 charges over the last two months, Jennings also has past convictions for burglary and drug possession.