One man was found dead early Sunday morning at a Maud, Texas, residence after an evening of visiting and drinking alcohol with two other men. One of the two others was said to have been "drunk wrestling" with the deceased man, said Chief Deputy Jeff Neal, Bowie County Sheriff's Office spokesman.
At 2:40 a.m. Sunday, BCSO Sgt. Chris Cole and Deputy Damon Lynn were sent to a home in the 7500 block of Farm to Market Road 2149, where a man later identified as William Pate was found not breathing. Neal said both Maud Volunteer Fire Department and LifeNet personnel worked at reviving Pate, but were unsuccessful.
Robert Autrey, the home owner, helped the BCSO identify Pate, Neal said.
"Autrey informed Sgt. Cole that he, Pate and Lee Sharp had all been visiting and consuming alcoholic beverages," Neal said. "After sometime, Pate and Sharp began wrestling around in a playful manner that Autrey described as 'drunk wrestling.'
"Autrey said he went in his house for a moment, and when he stepped back outside, he thought he saw Pate falling to the ground. He also thought he saw Sharp with a board in his hands that he tossed into the yard."
Neal said Autrey and Sharp thought Pate had passed out because of intoxication.
"Autrey and Sharp moved him into the garage," he said. "There they covered him up to let him sleep it off."
After Autrey gave Sharp a ride to his own home, he returned to find that Pate was not breathing and called 911, Neal said.
Lt. Alton White and Judge Susie Spelling responded to the home, discovering that Pate had a mark on his face "consistent with him being struck by a board," Neal said. Spelling ordered that Pate's body be sent for an autopsy.
Judge Nancy Talley issued a warrant for Sharp's arrest and Sharp voluntarily turned himself in to Bi-State Jail for aggravated result.
Talley set Sharp's bond at $100,000.
Neal said reports of the autopsy are still pending and the investigation is ongoing.
"The charges against Sharp could be upgraded pending the outcome of the final autopsy report," Neal added.