A city staffer agreed to a short 12-minute walk with a Texas mayor, but a violent assault led to his sickening felony arrest

Magnolia Mayor Matthew Dantzer was arrested and charged on Tuesday, April 14, facing a felony assault charge after a city staffer accused him of choking her while she was pregnant and making unwanted sexual advances. This is an incredibly serious situation, and it really highlights the importance of safe work environments for everyone.

City Secretary Christian Gable filed a federal civil complaint against the City of Montgomery in April. She alleges that the mayor’s harassment escalated from years of inappropriate comments to a physical assault when she was five months pregnant. This must have been a terrifying experience, and it’s awful to think about someone in a position of power allegedly behaving this way, according to People.

The complaint, which gives us a clearer picture of the alleged incident, states that Gable and two other city employees were at the Texas Municipal League’s Annual Conference in Fort Worth in late October 2025. After dinner, Dantzer reportedly offered to walk Gable back to her hotel so the other employees could continue their evening. She agreed, as the walk was only supposed to be 12 minutes.

That 12-minute walk turned into something straight out of a nightmare

The complaint alleges that the walk quickly turned disturbing. “On the walk back, Mr. Dantzer began to make inappropriate and sexualized statements to Ms. Gable,” the complaint claimed. The mayor allegedly commented on Gable’s pants being loose, to which she explained they were to accommodate her pregnancy. Dantzer then allegedly responded: “‘You know what that means to me, right? They’re easy to pull down.’”

The complaint further states that he “repeatedly attempted to pull her pants down as they continued walking down the street.” This is just completely unacceptable behavior, and it makes you wonder what was going through his head. As they got closer to the hotel, the complaint alleges that Dantzer asked Gable if her then-boyfriend, now fiancé, “knows how to handle” her because she is “crazy.” It is truly horrific when pregnant women are targeted, similar to the case of a former NFL player allegedly assaulting a pregnant woman.

Then, the situation allegedly became physical again. “Mr. Dantzer suddenly and violently grabbed Ms. Gable’s throat and pinned her against a column while saying ‘you need to tell him to do it like this,’” the complaint alleged. Gable claims she managed to push him off and run into her hotel room, which must have been a huge relief after such a traumatic encounter. The morning after the alleged assault, Gable reported the incident to the two staffers traveling with them.

They advised her to submit a formal complaint to the city of Montgomery, their employer, in writing, and also to the local police. Around the time she filed her complaint with the city, Gable alleges that Dantzer came into her office, “slammed his palms on her desk without exchanging so much as a greeting, and caused his entire body to hover inches from Ms. Gable’s face.” This sounds like a truly hostile work environment, and it’s deeply concerning.

Gable then filed her own whistleblower complaint the following day and learned that “the City would hire third-party investigators to conduct an investigation.” She alleges that afterward, her work environment “became even more hostile in apparent retaliation.” The complaint highlights a significant concern, stating that “The City did not place Mr. Dantzer on administrative leave, move his (or Ms. Gable’s) office to a different location, or take any other safety precautions pending the investigation results.”

This lack of action is definitely something that stands out. After eventually going on maternity leave in February, Gable requested to work remotely for the duration of Dantzer’s term, which is set to end in May. She was granted three weeks of maternity leave, followed by three weeks of remote work, but was then instructed to return to working in close proximity to Dantzer.

Dantzer is currently being held in the Montgomery County Jail and is scheduled to appear before a judge. His attorney released a statement saying, “We on behalf of Matthew Dantzer categorically deny the allegations.” The attorney added, “Mr. Dantzer maintains his innocence and looks forward to the opportunity to defend himself in the appropriate legal process. Mr. Dantzer remains dedicated to faithfully serving the citizens of the City of Magnolia.”

They also requested privacy and patience as the matter proceeds and stated no further comments would be made at this time.