Former UT police officer Austin Dubois pleaded guilty to official oppression stemming from the Feb. 22, 2024, arrest of Laison Crenshaw.

AUSTIN, Texas — A former University of Texas police officer has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge related to a 2024 arrest in which a man later died, the Travis County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.  

Former UT police officer Austin Dubois pleaded guilty on Feb. 13 to official oppression, a Class A misdemeanor, in connection with his Feb. 22, 2024, arrest of 27-year-old Laison Crenshaw at Dell Seton Medical Center, prosecutors said.  

As part of a plea agreement, Dubois must complete a 180-day pretrial diversion program, permanently surrender his Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) license and write an apology letter to Crenshaw’s family. The DA’s office said if Dubois completes the program, then the case will be dismissed.  

Prosecutors said the incident began when Dubois responded to a “code grey” call to help hospital security with a disturbance involving Crenshaw, who was a patient at the time. Dubois arrested Crenshaw and reportedly used force that investigators later determined was excessive.

According to the DA’s office, Dubois “intentionally subjected Mr. Crenshaw to unlawful mistreatment by applying force, including pressing his knee on Mr. Crenshaw’s back for up to one minute, even after Crenshaw was already detained, handcuffed, and lying prone on the floor.” 

Dubois did not request or provide medical aid after noticing signs of distress, prosecutors said.  

Hospital staff attempted to resuscitate Crenshaw, but he never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead on Feb. 27, 2024.  

The University of Texas Police Department and the Texas Rangers investigated the case before submitting their findings to the DA’s Civil Rights Unit.

“Our hearts go out to the Crenshaw family for the loss of Laison,” Travis County District Attorney José Garza said in a statement to KVUE. “We are grateful to the Texas Rangers for bringing this incident to light, as this case was investigated collaboratively by their agency and our Civil Rights Unit. Ensuring accountability in law enforcement when laws are violated is essential for rebuilding community trust and maintaining the safety of our community.”