Wilco County Judge Charged

A complaint against Williamson County Judge Bill Gravell alleging he violated the county's social distancing orders and committed official oppression has been referred to Judge David Peeples in San Antonio. Austin American-Statesman

Peeples, who serves in the state's fourth administrative judicial region, said Monday he is searching for a prosecutor to determine whether the complaint should be prosecuted.

Williamson County Attorney Robert McCabe filed a complaint in April against Gravell, saying the judge had violated the county's shelter-in-place order by getting an off-duty sheriff's deputy to drive him to a fire department, borrowing a firefighter's outfit and wearing it to his grandson's birthday party.

The incident happened April 7, the same day Gravell extended the county's shelter-in-place order until April 30, McCabe has said.

Gravell has previously declined to comment about the complaint.

McCabe also alleged that Gravell committed official oppression by using his power to get an off-duty deputy to drive him and his wife to the fire station.

The lawyer also said Gravell committed abuse of official capacity by borrowing and using a firefighter's uniform.

McCabe's complaint was originally sent to County Attorney Dee Hobbs, who recused himself, and was then sent to Billy Ray Stubblefield, the presiding judge of the 3rd Administrative Judicial District, who also recused himself.

The Texas Supreme Court assigned the complaint to Peeples on June 1, Peeples said.