HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas — A Mabank man was sentenced to 14 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to punching a deputy in the face and head in December 2020.
Joshua Shawn Smitherman, 31, was convicted Feb. 15 on an assault of a peace officer charge. He decided to plead guilty and allowed the judge to assess his punishment, according to the Henderson County District Attorney's Office. He was then sentenced to 14 years.
In court, evidence showed then-Deputy Matthew Reschke with the Henderson County Sheriff's Office came to the Cherokee Shores area regarding a suspicious person. He approached Smitherman, who was walking near the middle of Quanah Drive and appeared to be under the influence of narcotics.
Once Smitherman was told he was getting detained, Smitherman struck Reschke with a closed fist, causing a dislocated and fractured shoulder and a laceration over his right eye. Smitherman was unaffected by both the Taser and the OC spray that the deputy used to subdue him. Smitherman ultimately fled the scene, according to the DA's office. Investigator Jonathan Daille told the court that Smitherman resisted arrest the following day.
"As we go about our daily lives, it's easy to take for granted the safety and security that our law enforcement officers provide," District Attorney Jenny Palmer said. "This case serves as a reminder of the danger they face while performing their duties, and my office will ensure that those responsible for attacking them are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."