Music

Los Lonely Boys' bassist faces drug, assault charges in Austin

By Raven L. Hill
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Sunday, July 23, 2006

A member of the popular blues-rock band Los Lonely Boys, in Austin to play a concert at Stubb's on Saturday night, was arrested earlier in the day and charged with marijuana possession and assault.

Joey Sacarias "JoJo" Garza, 26, was charged with marijuana possession, a Class B misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail and up to a $2,000 fine, and assault with injury/family violence, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine.

Austin police spokeswoman Laura Albrecht said officers were called to the Omni Austin Hotel downtown because of a disturbance at 10 a.m. Saturday, where they found Garza and a woman in his room. Albrecht said the 25-year-old woman from San Angelo had been assaulted.

Garza, the bassist in the Grammy-winning band of three brothers from San Angelo, was taken to Travis County Jail and released.

The Omni declined to comment on the arrest.

His arrest echoed the arrest of his younger brother, Ringo Garza, in January 2005, which gave the band negative national attention for several months.

Ringo Garza was arrested on marijuana possession charges and accused of sexual assault. The drug charges were dropped; the sexual assault accusations didn't lead to charges.

The trio was in town to promote its new album, "Sacred."

The band was scheduled for a sound check earlier Saturday with fans and members of the news media, but the event was canceled because of the arrest. The group did play its concert.