November 8, 2013 - Charges have been filed against two suspects wanted in the death of a man following an incident at 9999 Westheimer about 7:40 p.m. on August 31.

The suspects, Jason Joseph Gorczyca (w/m, DOB: 3-26-78) and James Ray Pyle (w/m, DOB: 9-6-79), are charged with criminal negligent homicide in the 208th State District Court.  The victim, Raul Hernandez, 27, of Richmond, Texas, was pronounced dead on Sept. 6.

Photos of the two suspects are not available at this time and neither male is in custody.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant M. Holbrook and Officer I. Duplechain reported:

Mr. Hernandez was swimming with his family at the Hilton hotel pool at the above addresss.  At dusk, the pool lights came on and people in the pool began to complain of being shocked.  Hernandez swam to the deep end of the pool to help a child out of the pool.  He was able to get the child out of the pool, but could not pull himself out.  When bystanders pulled Hernandez out of the pool, he went into cardiac arrest and the bystanders performed CPR on him.  Hernandez was then transported to Memorial Hermann Memorial City Hospital where he later died.

The Harris County Insitute of Forensic Sciences ruled Hernandez's death an accident caused by electrocution.

A lengthy investigation was conducted by the Houston Police Department Homicide Division, the City of Houston Public Works and Engineering Department, and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. The investigation determined the electric current was caused by a short in the pool light.  The investigation also determined the wiring to the pool light lacked a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) that would have immediately cut off the current in the event of a shock.  The pool also lacked proper equipotential bonding.  Both are violations of the National Electric Code.

The investigation revealed the Hilton hotel hired Brown Electric, Inc. in June 2013 to replace the wiring and bonding for the pool.  Jason Gorczyca and his supervisor, James Pyle, performed the work in a substandard fashion.  Additionally, Pyle did not obtain a permit for the work with the City of Houston.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the two suspects is asked to contact the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600.



Update:  JFC/VHS  11-8-13
JKS/JFC 9-12-13 Inc. #109634113