SAN ANTONIO – A man who was involved in a confrontation with Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff over a face mask dispute has been arrested, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
Terry Toller, 47, turned himself in to authorities around 7 a.m. Thursday, BCSO said. He was arrested on a warrant for assault on a peace officer/judge, a second-degree felony.
Shortly after turning himself in, authorities reduced charges against the man to a low-level misdemeanor, his attorney told KSAT12.
Toller smacked a business card out of Wolff’s hand during the confrontation Wednesday at a checkout line at a Lowe’s store on Interstate 10 and Callaghan Road.
Wolff was getting in line when a cashier told Toller that wearing a mask was required. Toller grew upset, so Wolff intervened, BCSO Sheriff Javier Salazar said Wednesday.
Wolff tried to hand Toller a business card, but he knocked it out of his hands.
View surveillance video of the confrontation in the player below.
“From what we can see on the video, it appears Judge Wolff was just trying to be helpful with the situation,” Salazar said.
Video shows confrontation between Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, customer over mask at store
Wolff reported the incident to Salazar, who responded to the store around 1:30 p.m. Wolff had taken down the man’s license plate information before the man left the store.
Wolff issued a countywide emergency order last week that requires businesses to ensure employees and customers wear face masks in any building. The order took effect Monday, as COVID-19 cases continued to surge in San Antonio.
Businesses who are caught violating the order can face a fine up to $1,000.