Twitter / Chancellor Johnson
Astros fans loudly booed Texas Sen. Ted Cruz as he rolled through the streets of Houston in a military vehicle as part of the team's championship parade.
Joseph Halm Arcidiacono, 33, had faced charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for hurling the projectiles. However, a grand jury on Friday opted not to move forward, according to records obtained by the Houston Chronicle.
During the Nov. 7 parade, Cruz and his family rode in the back of a military vehicle, waving to revelers. Members of the crowd greeted the Republican senator with boos and extended middle fingers — a not-uncommon occurrence during his public appearances.
Footage from the event showed a pair of cans sail at Cruz, and Houston police later tweeted that he'd been hit in the chest and neck area but required no medical attention. Arcidiacono was subsequently arrested and released on $40,000 bail, according to media reports.
Arcidiacono's attorneys told the grand jury their client went the parade with the hope that he could toss an Astros player a cold one, which he could pop open and quaff. The fan had simply tried to get Cruz to partake in the same celebratory stunt, they argued.
"Many generous, fun, semi-stupid, legendary moments have happened during Astros Championship Parades. ... Fans throw cans to people in championship parades all the time," Arcidiacono's lawyers said in a tweeted statement. "That is a widely known thing. To get them to chug."
Coming soon: SA Current Daily newsletter. We’ll send you a handful of interesting San Antonio stories every morning. Subscribe now to not miss a thing.A statement from Houston attorney Bill Stradley regarding his client Joey Arcidiacono.
— Stradley Law Firm (@HoustonCrimLaw) November 9, 2022
The purpose is correct and add some context to publicly shared information regarding Joey's arrest at the Astros 2022 Championship Parade. pic.twitter.com/vaJdC7KJ3c
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