The incident happened last month outside the courthouse downtown where deputies said James Brennand had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit.
SAN ANTONIO — Former San Antonio Police Officer James Brennand, already at the center of a high-profile court case involving the 2022 shooting of a teenager, became the target last month when deputies said a driver tried to run him over in a downtown parking lot.
According to an arrest warrant, the incident occurred just before 10 a.m. on March 26 as Brennand was walking through a pay parking lot across from the Bexar County Justice Center on West Nueva Street
Brennand was scheduled to appear in court that same morning for a hearing in connection to the alleged shooting of then 17-year-old Erik Cantu.
Deputies said as Brennand was walking through that parking lot, he was approached by a man later identified as 58-year-old James Michael Cox.
Cox spoke with Brennand before becoming aggressive and shouting at him, according to police documents.
Cox allegedly then drove off at a high speed, only to return moments later and confront Brennand again.
Witnesses and surveillance footage show Cox accelerating his vehicle directly toward Brennand, “in what appeared to be an attempt to run him over,” according to an arrest warrant.
Brennand told investigators he feared for his life and had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit, according to police documents.
Detectives report in the arrest warrant that at one point during the altercation, Cox reportedly yelled out, “I’m James Michael Cox,” before fleeing the scene.
Brennand managed to get cell phone video of the suspect and the license plate number on his phone, according to deputies, and turned the footage over to Bexar County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO).
Court security video later confirmed Brennand’s account, “clearly showing the attempt to run Mr. Brennand over,” according to an arrest warrant.
Using the license plate and Cox’s verbal admission of his identity, investigators were able to match a driver’s license photo with video evidence.
Cox was arrested a week later and has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond has been set at $50,000.
Authorities have not released any information on Cox’s motive or whether the attack was connected to Brennand’s ongoing legal troubles.
The confrontation occurred as Brennand was scheduled to appear in court for a hearing in connection to the October 2, 2022 shooting of Erik Cantu, a then-17-year-old who was seriously injured when Brennand allegedly opened fire on him in a McDonald’s parking lot.
Brennand, who was fired days after the shooting and indicted two months later, is facing a charge of aggravated assault by a public servant. Cantu was hospitalized for seven weeks after the incident.
Brennand was back in court just over a week later on April 4.
The latest session focused on a subpoena from the state requesting internal records on 59 SAPD officers allegedly tied to the case.
The state argued the documents are necessary to prepare expert witnesses and avoid a mistrial.
City officials pushed back, calling the request burdensome and unnecessary—but the defense ultimately agreed with the prosecution, saying the records will help ensure a fair trial.
Judge Joel Perez ruled in favor of ordering the city to release the documents. However, the review process is expected to delay the trial by another three to four months.