A teenage girl accidentally drove her vehicle through a glass window at the Comal County Democratic Party headquarters, 1592 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels, on July 2.
New Braunfels police said Wednesday the incident was not politically motivated.
“Through the course of the investigation, detectives determined the incident occurred when a juvenile female unintentionally crashed a vehicle into the building,” the New Braunfels Police Department said in a statement.
“Due to the juvenile’s limited driving experience, the driver lost control of the vehicle, drove over the curb, and struck the storefront. Based on the evidence collected, investigators determined the incident was not politically motivated and found no evidence to suggest the building was intentionally targeted because of its political affiliation.”
Officers observed significant damage to the storefront, including shattered glass inside the office. They also located tire tracks leading from the parking lot, over the sidewalk, and directly into the damaged window, indicating that a vehicle had struck the building.”
The headquarters are located next to a Valero gas station. Charges may be pending. The investigation is still active.
Party Chair Victoria Locke said a building can be damaged but Democrats’ commitment to the community cannot.
“We are also grateful to this community – Democrats, Republicans, and everyone in between – for the outpouring of support since this happened,” she said. “That says more about who we are as a community than a broken window ever could.”
This is the third time Democratic headquarters have been damaged.
In February 2022, an anonymous vandal ran over a sign planted on an easement in front of Democratic Party headquarters.
In January 2022, a woman used a shovel to smash the door in.
Comal County Republican headquarters, 150 N. Seguin Ave., New Braunfels, were vandalized in mid-January after someone broke in and lit a small fire.
Party chair Anita Valdez immediately called the vandalism an act of “political violence” and said New Braunfels police were working with the FBI to identify the perpetrator.
Grace Carol Brown, 21, was later arrested and charged with allegedly setting the fire. She faces one count of terrorism, a first-degree felony.