A man who was arrested by Austin police at Pease Park with a small cache of weapons had a rifle outfitted with a bipod, scope and loaded with a 30-round magazine, according to court records filed last week.
Dalton Harley Broesche, 23, was arrested Aug. 14 and charged with unlawfully carrying a handgun and a baton, along with deadly conduct.
Arrest affidavits filed against Broesche said police received 911 calls around 1:30 p.m. from the park about a man in a plaid shirt carrying a rifle and a large knife. When officers arrived they approached Broesche and detained him. Officers found a large knife hanging from his belt, a loaded handgun concealed in his waistband and an expandable baton, the documents said. They said Broesche also had two more knives, a flashlight, black gloves and a spare, fully loaded magazine for the handgun.
Officers asked Broesche about the rifle that 911 callers reported seeing, the affidavits said. He told police he tossed the weapon in the brush near a trail, according to the documents. About 40 to 50 yards south of where officers detained Broesche, they said, officer found a rifle fitted with a bipod, scope and tactical flashlight. The gun was loaded with a 30-round magazine, the affidavits said.
Broesche was charged with deadly conduct because he “abandoned a loaded rifle in a public park when members of the public were present,” court records said.
Broesche was still being held at the Travis County Jail on Wednesday on a combined bail of $75,000. He also has a warrant from Harris County for aggravated assault, the affidavits said.
