Copperas Cove man arrested after garage assault, gunshot on Whirlasway Drive

Copperas Cove police say a dispute inside a garage in the 900 block of Whirlasway Drive escalated into an assault and gunfire, putting at least one woman in immediate danger and sending investigators to a scene marked by blood, injuries and a spent shell casing.

The confrontation began about 11:50 a.m. when the victim was speaking with Sterling Keith Lewis, Sr.’s wife about Lewis’ activities involving the victim’s daughter, police said. Investigators said Lewis arrived, tried to push the woman out of the garage and demanded that she leave.

Police said the encounter turned physical when the victim was scratched on the back and struck with a black pistol. The woman told investigators she covered her head because she feared being beaten further. Officers later said they heard a gunshot was fired and recovered a .380 shell casing in the garage. The woman was not shot, but police observed obvious injuries and bleeding.

Lewis was later arrested and court papers indicated he was being held on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon allegation. The case underscores how quickly a private family dispute can become a public safety call when a firearm is involved, especially in a neighborhood setting where a shot fired in a garage can raise the risk for nearby residents and responding officers alike.

Copperas Cove, the largest city in Coryell County, had 36,670 residents in the 2020 Census, and city leaders later cited a Texas State Demographer estimate of 39,636 residents as of Jan. 1, 2024. In a city that size, violent domestic or family-adjacent confrontations can ripple well beyond the people directly involved, drawing attention to the pressures police face when a call involves both a weapon and possible child-related conflict.

The Copperas Cove Police Department says its mission is to provide a safe and secure community, and the department is accredited through the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Best Practices Program. In cases like the Whirlasway Drive assault, that kind of response means preserving the scene, documenting injuries, collecting physical evidence and separating witness accounts before the case moves forward in court.

For people confronting family violence or a dangerous domestic situation, Texas Health and Human Services directs residents to the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233. Families In Crisis has also provided in-person services in Copperas Cove for residents who need help without traveling to another city, offering a local option when a home dispute turns unsafe.