Texas Park Ranger Pushed Into Lake After Trying to Break Up Crowd

A park ranger tried doing the right thing by breaking up a crowd that wasn't social distancing -- and as a reward, some jerk pushed him into the water ... a jerk who then got arrested.

The incident happened Thursday at Lake Austin, where a bunch of kids were reportedly smoking and drinking when they were approached by this Texas park ranger -- who was telling them they had to break it up and get six feet apart ... in other words, doing his job.

At first, it sounds like some of the kids respond affirmatively to his command -- albeit somewhat sarcastically -- and then out of nowhere ... you see one guy ram the ranger -- hurling him into the water just below the dock they're all standing on.

The ranger goes in, as does the guy ... fortunately, no one was hurt. The guy gets out and scurries away, and the ranger then follows him, clearly pissed ... as he should've been. You can also hear his buddies nearby yelling out "Bro!" in apparent shock.

The good news is that the alleged pusher was eventually arrested ... cops responded to the scene and took 25-year-old Brandon Hicks into custody and booked him for felony attempted assault of a public servant.

Cops say ... "Brandon’s intentional and reckless action could have caused the Ranger to strike his head on the dock as he was falling, and render himself unconscious in at least 3 feet of water where he could have drowned to death."