David Flash, publisher of the Big Bend Times and CEO of Texas Reporter Media, was forcibly removed from a Jeff Davis County Commissioners Court meeting on June 27, 2025, in an incident that has since drawn national attention as a press freedom violation.
Flash, who has covered dozens of county meetings over recent years, was livestreaming the session when Sheriff’s Deputy Adriana Ruiloba grabbed him, forced him to the ground, and placed him in handcuffs. The arrest was requested by County Judge Curtis Evans, according to body camera video obtained by the Big Bend Sentinel.
The journalist was cited for disorderly conduct and briefly detained before being released at the scene. He received urgent care treatment afterward for visible bruising and fingernail marks, reporting “lasting musculoskeletal pain” in his arm and shoulder from the encounter.
Events Leading to Arrest
Flash told the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker that he had originally gone to the courthouse to collect an audio recording of the meeting but discovered it was still in progress. He set up a stationary video camera at the back of the room, following a deputy’s instructions.
The livestream shows him sitting quietly, occasionally taking photos. At one point, Sheriff Victor Lopez objected to Flash taking his photograph. After Lopez exited the room, Deputy Ruiloba confronted Flash, warning him not to approach her personal space. Flash left the meeting room but returned later to continue reporting and taking photos.
Moments later, Ruiloba accused him of disrupting the meeting, pushed him toward a corner, and forced him to the ground while handcuffing him. On the livestream, Flash can be heard repeating, “I’m not resisting,” as his video camera toppled over.
Charges Dropped
On July 24, 2025, the disorderly conduct charge was formally dropped due to insufficient evidence.
Flash has said he believes the confrontation was retaliatory, not lawful.
“I had complied with all instructions. I wasn’t saying a word, wasn’t bothering anyone, and wasn’t obstructing anything,” he said. “The only trigger was that I turned my camera toward a deputy who apparently didn’t believe she should be photographed doing her job in a public space.”
County Judge Evans defended the removal, telling KWES-TV, “His agenda is to be disruptive in court… he was violating court decorum.”
Neither Evans nor the Jeff Davis County Sheriff’s Office responded to repeated requests for comment.
Broader Concerns
The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker catalogued the case as a violation of press freedom, adding it to a growing list of incidents where reporters were obstructed or physically removed while covering public meetings.
Flash, who leads both Big Bend Times—the largest independent news outlet in the region—and Texas Reporter Media, a statewide platform, said the incident underscored the challenges faced by independent journalists covering small-town governments.
“This wasn’t about decorum,” he said. “It was about silencing coverage of public officials who don’t want accountability.”
Texas Reporter 