Family of late Texas man who told officers he could not breathe during arrest to receive $5M

Texas’s Williamson County has settled the case of a 40-year-old Black man who died during his 2019 arrest after telling officers he could not breathe.

“The Commissioners Court approved a settlement in the Javier Ambler lawsuit of $5 million. The County will pay approx. $1.6 million with the remainder paid by the County’s insurance,” the county said in a tweet. 

On March 28, 2019, Ambler died after a car chase that started when he did not dim his headlights for oncoming traffic, according to NBC News.

Williamson County deputies James Johnson and Zachary Camden, who were joined by a reality television crew for “Live PD,” chased Ambler for more than 20 minutes. When authorities reached Ambler, they tased him multiple times.

Body camera footage showed Ambler telling them that he could not breathe.

“We’re very proud to have represented the Ambler family and reached a settlement that sends a message that ignoring a person’s pleas that they cannot breathe will no longer be tolerated,” the firm Edwards Law said in a tweet. 

We’re very proud to have represented the Ambler family and reached a settlement that sends a message that ignoring a person’s pleas that they cannot breathe will no longer be tolerated.https://t.co/lKlDSDwGK5

— Edwards Law (@Edwards_Law) December 14, 2021

The settlement is required to be paid in 14 days. Ambler’s parents will receive $1 million, and his children will each receive $1.5 million, according to The Austin American-Statesmen.

The deputies were indicted in March on charges of second-degree manslaughter, with their attorneys saying at that time their clients were not responsible for Ambler’s death, NBC reported. 

Williamson County Sheriff Robert Chody was previously arrested and indicted on one count of felony tampering with evidence after he was accused of ordering that “Live PD” destroy the footage showing Ambler’s death.