An apparent love triangle among three police officers erupted in violence last week, landing two of them in court Monday, officials said.
Tina Marie Perez, 37, a Pasadena police officer, and Timothy Robert Troxell, 38, a South Houston police sergeant, are charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a confrontation between them and another Pasadena police officer, said John Cannon, spokesman for the Houston Police Department.
Cannon said Houston police investigated the case. The three officers were off-duty at the time.
Perez and Troxell appeared in court Monday but were rescheduled to appear Nov. 12. They are free on $30,000 bond each. Perez's attorney, Charles Adams, said the incident is a case of self-defense.
"I am saying emphatically that Ms. Perez and Troxell did nothing wrong in this case," Adams said outside the courtroom.
Troxell's attorney, Cristobal Galindo, said his client had come to Perez's aid after she was attacked.
Assistant District Attorney Katie Warren declined to discuss the case, saying it is under investigation.
Houston police identified the third officer as Marvin Ouellette, 36.
The officers could not be reached for comment.
Houston police said Perez told investigators she had broken off her relationship with Ouellette. She said Troxell was her boyfriend.
Ouellette told investigators that he and Perez had an on-again, off-again relationship and that they were trying to reconcile, police said.
Police said that Ouellette arrived at Perez's home in the 9700 block of Ebb about 3 a.m. Friday after he had tried in vain to reach Perez by telephone.
Perez told investigators, police said, that Ouellette assaulted her outside her house in the driveway and that Troxell defended her.
Troxell, police said, hit Ouellette several times with a pistol, and Perez kicked and punched him. Ouellette did not admit hitting Perez, police said.
A witness saw two people beating a third person, police said.
Ouellette was treated at Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital and later released, said Vance Mitchell, spokesman for the Pasadena Police Department. Mitchell said Perez is temporarily suspended without pay. He said she was rehired by the department in June 2005 after leaving the force to work for another law enforcement agency.
Mitchell said he could not release information about Ouellette's status in the department because he has not been charged with a crime.
Troxell has been temporarily suspended without pay, said South Houston Police Chief Herbert Gilbert.
Gilbert declined to discuss the allegations, but added that Troxell has been with the department for 5 1/2 years.
Perez and Troxell each could face up to 20 years in prison if they are convicted of the second-degree felony.
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