Man Assaults Mother and Throws Acid at Responding Police Officers, Say Authorities

A man accused of attacking and attempting to extort his mother also allegedly threatened and assaulted officers during his arrest, according to authorities.

James Andrew Woerner, 38, is currently held in the Bexar County Jail, where reports indicate he has been since Saturday. He faces charges such as aggravated assault against a public servant and obstruction or retaliation. The situation reportedly began on Friday when Woerner allegedly forced his way into his 73-year-old mother’s San Antonio home, demanding she withdraw cash from an ATM.

According to court documents obtained by CBS affiliate KENS, she refused, and this caused him to become increasingly angry.

Woerner is said to have threatened to burn his mother alive before forcing her into a car, hitting her, and warning that he would crash the vehicle to kill him both, the documents allege. His mother ultimately jumped out of the moving car.

It was the suspect’s father who contacted the San Antonio Police Department, local ABC affiliate KSAT reported. His tip did not come without a warning, though, as the father reportedly detailed his son’s plan: Woerner reportedly intended to throw “nitric acid” on the responding officers.

As officers arrived the next day at the 9000 block of East Sonterra Boulevard to arrest Woerner on charges including injury to the elderly, Woerner threw an “acidic substance” at an officer, the arrest affidavit added. The “acidic substance” hit the officer but also landed on the ground – where it began to “sizzle,” KENS reported.

Woerner is also accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at law enforcement and yelling, “everyone is going to die.” In the chaos of officers fearing contamination from the “acidic substance,” Woerner reportedly got away and barricaded himself in one of the apartment complex buildings. He was later apprehended and jailed.

Three officers suffered minor injuries but are expected to recover, authorities said.