Man Jailed After Firing Off Shotgun Blast At Cyclist To 'Blow Off Steam' In South Austin

SOUTH AUSTIN, TX — Police arrested a man accused of firing a shotgun at a bicyclist in South Austin recently in an effort to "blow off steam," according to a published report.

Merrick David Isaacks, 19, is behind bars at the Travis County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the June 7 incident, according to a report in the Austin American-Statesman. According to an affidavit, the fallen bicyclist was blooded and unresponsive at the scene before being rushed to the hospital for injuries to his back, shoulder and head.

According to the affidavit, the victim had pellets from the shotgun blast that entered his brain stem, heightening hospital workers' concern for the cyclist. KXAN later reported the cyclist was released from the hospital but had an appointment to have more of the pellets removed.

According to the affidavit cited by the Statesman, an acquaintance with the suspect told police Isaacks had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend and threatened to shoot the other man unless he drove him around to "blow off steam." The other man complied, only to have Isaacks allegedly threaten to shoot or kill someone at a random bus stop—an action the other man said he talked Isaacks out of doing.

But without warning, Isaacks is said to have fired off a hot from the passenger window, hitting the cyclist. The suspect is said to have then forced the other man to drive him around throughout the evening, during which he fired off the weapon several more times, according to the report.

Isaacks is now being detained with a combined bail of $250,000.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

Booking photo of Merrick David Isaacks courtesy of Austin Police Department