AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin father died Thursday after he defended his daughter from her boyfriend, according to Austin police. Now, the homicide unit is investigating and the District Attorney’s office will increase the charges against 24-year-old Jaime Apodaca.
Eric Garcia confronted Apodaca, who had been dating his daughter for about a month and had stayed with them for about 10 days, in the Garcia home on March 23. According to an arrest warrant, Apodaca had yelled at her, called her derogatory names and accused her of cheating, before he punched Garcia and his daughter.
The fight continued outside their home, and Garcia was taken away to the hospital with a skull fracture, inter-cranial trauma and a herniated brain.
“He tried to split up a fight. He was such a quiet, nice, humble person, you know. He didn’t really deserve what happened to him,” Garcia’s friend Rock Schouman told KXAN earlier this week. He set up fundraisers both on Facebook and on GoFundMe for the family.
Apodaca faces aggravated assault, assault and evading arrest charges. More may soon be added.