On March 19, 2026 at approximately 10:05 P.M., Austin Police Department officers were dispatched to a residence in the 900 block of 9th Avenue SE in the City of Austin, County of Mower. The reporting party, Witness 1 (an adult female), said her son, Victim A (a juvenile male) was “going psychotic.” Austin Police Department Officer Gentry Sovers arrived on scene first and made contact with Witness 1. Witness 1 opened the door and told Officer Sovers “I think we are good.” Officer Sovers could smell the odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Witness 1, and she said she had been drinking “a lot.” Victim A then came to the door; he was crying, hyperventilating, and had puffy, red eyes.
Victim A told Officer Sovers that his father, LUCAS LYNN FARRELL, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter the defendant, had strangled and hit him. Witness 1 interrupted Victim A and said, “I think he is just sad.” Officer Sovers asked Witness 1 if she could step inside and speak with Victim A alone, and Witness 1 consented. Office Sovers spoke with Victim A in his room. Officer Sovers observed that Victim A’s room was in disarray: Toys and blankets were on the floor, and the bed was crooked. Victim A was difficult to follow due to crying and hyperventilating, but he was able to tell Officer Sovers that he got into an argument with his brother, Witness 2 (a juvenile male), and that Witness 2 hit him so Victim A threw a glass plate on the ground.
At that point, Victim A went to his bedroom because Witness 1 had told him to do so, and the defendant followed him. Victim A said the defendant “started freaking out,” threw Victim A to the ground, held him down, and punched him three to four times with a closed fist. Victim A said the defendant had him in a chokehold while punching him. Victim A told the defendant to stop because he could not breathe, but the defendant kept "doing it." Officer Sovers observed that Vicitm A had several scratches and some redness on his neck.
Victim A also said that he felt his neck crack 5 times, and that the assault happened approximately 15 minutes earlier. An ambulance arrived on scene and transported Victim A to Mayo Clinic in Austin. Austin Police Department Officers Mark Tamke and Isaiah Heeren arrived on scene. Officer Tamke spoke with Witness 1. Witness 1 first stated she did not see or hear anything occurring between Victim A and Witness 2. When asked, she denied that they held Victim A down until officers arrived. She was unsure when Victim A obtained the marks on his neck, and then told Officer Tamke that the defendant can be an “a******,” but she did not want him to get arrested.
Officer Tamke then spoke with Witness 2, who advised Officer Tamke that Victim A said something to him, Witness 2 called Victim A “stupid,” and Victim A threw a punch at him but missed. Witness 2 then slapped Victim A, and the two started fighting but were separated by Witness 1. At that time, Victim A threw a plate at Witness 2’s feet, and Victim A went to his room, cursing at his mother, Witness 1. Witness 2 stated he did not see the entire assault but did see the defendant in what Officer Tamke observed to be a “rear naked choke hold.” Witness 2 said he saw the defendant “body slam” Victim A to the ground, causing Victim A to land on his stomach and the defendant on top of him.
