Williamson bailiff charged with theft

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) - A Williamson County bailiff has been charged with theft after deputies say he was planning to cut up a downed light pole and sell it as scrap metal.

Jimmie Ray Ortiz was arrested Monday and has been placed on paid administrative leave while the investigation takes place.

The pole sits in the median between Interstate 35 and the southbound access road near Lakeway Drive in Georgetown. It has several fine cuts in several spots.

According to an arrest warrant, a Williamson County deputy spotted Ortiz near the downed pole on Friday night. Ortiz told the deputy he was given permission from the Texas Department of Transportation to chop the pole up and sell it as scrap metal.

TxDOT says no such permission was given to anybody.

"f it is true, appropriate measures will be taken both here at the county and state level," said Sgt. John Foster with the Williamson County Sheriff's Office.

"We have more than 500 employees here and if this is true, he does not reflect on those more than 500 employees we have."

TxDOT said the pole was knocked down several months ago in an accident and has been lying in the median while awaiting to be hauled away.