Justice for Jeffery: Texas Rangers Investigate Shocking Death of Jeffery Arriola as Family Calls for Truth
ALLENTOWN, Texas — A heavy blanket of grief has fallen over the East Texas community of Lufkin following the tragic death of Jeffery Arriola, a local man whose sudden and untimely passing has left family, friends, and neighbors in shock and anguish. As the Arriola family struggles to come to terms with the heartbreaking loss, they are calling on the community for strength, support, and above all—justice.
“This is a sad day for our family,” a close relative said in a statement shared with the public on Friday. “Please pray for peace, and pray for the Texas Rangers in order for us to get justice for Jeffery Arriola.”
A late-night altercation over alleged reckless driving in a rural Angelina County neighborhood ended in gunfire Wednesday, leaving one man dead and another facing a murder charge.
Philip Hunter Gersbach, 26, of Lufkin, was arrested and charged with murder following the fatal shooting of 48-year-old Jeffery George Arriola, also of Lufkin. The incident unfolded around 11:15 p.m. Wednesday in the Allentown area, according to Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman.
Gersbach was booked into the Angelina County Jail on Thursday and later released on a $15,000 bond, which was set by temporary Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Wes Suiter.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by KTRE through an open records request, Gersbach told investigators he was driving home from work when he was flagged down by a woman in the roadway who was waving her arms to get his attention. Gersbach said the woman began yelling at him, accusing him of driving too fast past her residence.
As the exchange escalated, Gersbach claimed that Arriola approached and accused him of yelling at his wife. Gersbach told deputies Arriola threatened to shoot him and made a motion, reaching behind his back and pointing something in the direction of Gersbach’s headrest. Believing he was in imminent danger, Gersbach said he opened fire on Arriola.
Gersbach himself called dispatch shortly after the shooting, reportedly telling operators he had shot someone and intended to perform CPR. A responding deputy detained Gersbach at the scene to deescalate the situation, and EMS personnel later confirmed Arriola was deceased.
However, statements from a key witness present a more complex picture. The woman involved in the initial confrontation told deputies that a truck had been speeding past their house multiple times that evening. She said her husband, Arriola, instructed her to stop the vehicle the next time it passed by to confront the driver.
According to her account in the affidavit, Gersbach stopped his truck and began hurling vulgar insults at her. Arriola then approached and, in the midst of the heated argument, allegedly shouted threats at Gersbach. The witness stated Gersbach shot Arriola a couple of times from inside his vehicle before stepping out and shooting him several more times.
The affidavit does not specify the exact location of the shooting, but Sheriff Selman confirmed it occurred in the Allentown area.
Following the investigation, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office consulted with the county district attorney, who advised filing a murder charge against Gersbach. The case remains under active investigation.