Press Releases
Just before 12:30 a.m. this morning, San Angelo Police were dispatched to the 400 block of W. Beauregard for the report of a major motor vehicle crash where the driver fled the scene.
While enroute to the crash, responding Officer R. Mitchell observed a silver passenger car with front-end damage traveling with no headlights, northbound in the 300 block of N. Bryant Blvd. Officer Mitchell initiated a traffic stop on the 2011 Nissan Versa but the driver failed to stop and a short, low-speed pursuit ensued.
The pursuit came to an end when the driver, later identified as Stephen Rodriguez, 24, of San Angelo, pulled over in the 3800 block of Armstrong. Rodriguez and a 21-year-old female passenger were taken into custody and detained.
During a probable cause search of the vehicle, Officers located a firearm and a canister that contained a substance that field-tested positive for the presence of cocaine.
Rodriguez and the woman were transported to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation. Upon Rodriguez’s release, he was transported to the Tom Green County Jail and charged with Evading Arrest Detention with Vehicle, State Jail Felony Possession of Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1, and Unlawful Carrying Weapon. The woman was not charged.
A crash investigation showed Rodriguez’s vehicle was traveling east on W. Beauregard when it failed to control speed, left the roadway, and subsequently crashed into a highway sign, street light pole, and signal light box. No other vehicles were involved. Witnesses at the scene told Officers Rodriguez fled the scene once he learned bystanders called police.
Rodriguez was issued Citations for No Insurance and Fail to Stop and Give Information Upon Striking a Fixed Object.
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As a result of information developed in the ongoing investigation into last week’s stabbing on East 24th Street, Investigators developed probable cause to name Michael Lorenzo Sanchez, 31, as one suspect involved in the assault.
This morning, Justice of the Peace Susan Werner issued a Warrant for Sanchez’s arrest for the charge of Aggravated Assault Causes Serious Bodily Injury for his role in the stabbing of a 32-year-old San Angelo man on March 5, 2017, in the 1100 block of E. 24th Street during a reported road-rage incident. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and remains hospitalized in critical condition.
This afternoon, members of the Department’s Street Crimes, Criminal Investigations, and Patrol Division located Sanchez at a residence in the 1900 block of Coleman Street. He was taken into custody without incident and transported to Police Headquarters for interview. The Department’s Crime Scene Investigations Unit was also instrumental in today’s operation.
Following the interview, Sanchez was transported to the Tom Green County Jail without Incident.
This is still an ongoing investigation and Investigators are continuing their search for additional actors involved in the assault. If you have any information about the identity or whereabouts of additional suspects, please call Detective James Hernandez at (325) 659-8015.
To remain anonymous, tip online at http://bit.ly/SAPDTips247, via text: text TIP SAPD to 888777 and follow the prompts, or by phone at 1-855-TIPS-247.
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At approximately 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15, 2017, San Angelo Public Safety Communications received a call in reference to the suspect vehicle from Friday’s hit and run crash with a bicyclist on Link road as possibly being in the Double Dave’s Pizza parking lot, 3536 Knickerbocker road.
Officers responded to the location and located a dark colored, 2014 Chevrolet two-door Camaro with the same unique stickers mention in the initial press release. The vehicle’s driver, Matias Escalante, 51, of San Angelo, was located inside the restaurant.
The Department’s Hit and Run Investigator, Steven Quade, responded to the location and spoke with Escalante about the crash and his involvement. The Camaro was processed for evidence at the scene and released.
This morning, Officer Quade obtained a warrant for Escalante’s arrest for the charge of Accident Involving Serious Bodily Injury, a third Degree Felony. The warrant, issued by Justice of the Peace Judge Eddie Howard, named Escalante as the driver who struck 49-year-old bicyclist Pedro Lozano Jr. in the 5400 block of Link Road on March 10, 2017, causing serious bodily injury. The complaint further stated Escalante left the scene without rendering reasonable assistance to Lozano even though Escalante had knowledge of the crash.
This afternoon, Escalante was located and arrested at his residence in the 3400 block of Arden Road and transported to the Tom Green County Jail without incident.
Lozano, who was transported to San Angelo Community Medical Center for treatment of incapacitating injuries after the crash, was released this morning.
The Department would like to thank the public for assisting us with sharing the information about this case, which ultimately led to the vehicle being located so quickly.
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At approximately 9:20 p.m., San Angelo Police were dispatched to the 4200 block of Sunset Drive for the report of a single vehicle accident with injuries where a vehicle overturned after it struck a utility pole.
Upon arrival, Officers located a white 2017 Hyundai Elantra overturned in the Blue Cross Blue Shield parking lot. The utility pole was severed in half, with its top portion only being suspended by wires that were connected to adjacent poles.
Responding Officers located the driver walking around, bleeding and suffering from apparent injuries sustained in the crash. When the initial responding Officer made contact with the driver, he refused medical treatment. When the Officer asked the driver for his license, the man advised he did not have one. When the Officer asked the driver for his name, the man advised he did not have one and began to curse and make incendiary comments towards the Officer.
Another Officer who was on scene observed the driver initiating confrontation with the Officer and responded to assist with gaining control of the man, who had quickly become combative. One Officer sustained minor injuries after being struck by the driver, who was later identified as Anthony Dominguez Rios, 22, of San Angelo.
Witnesses to the crash said Rios was traveling at a high rate of speed before the collision and that Rios was cursing and threatening bystanders who attempted to aid him after the crash.
Rios was transported to the Tom Green County Jail and charged with an outstanding Parole Violation Warrant and Assault on Public Servant. Rios was additionally charged with Failure to Sign Promise to Appear at the jail after he refused to sign citations for No Driver’s License and Fail to Control Speed.
AEP Officials were called to assess the damage and repair power outage to nearby businesses. REACT assisted with traffic control throughout the investigation.
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This afternoon, investigators with the San Angelo Police Department’s Street Crimes Division and Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division executed a Search and Arrest Warrant at a residence in the unit block of W. Avenue Q.
The warrant, issued by Justice of the Peace Fred Buck, named 37-year-old Monica Castillo to be in possession of methamphetamine. Castillo was located at the residence and taken into custody without incident.
During a search of the residence, Investigators located and seized a quantity of methamphetamine, items consistent with the trafficking of illegal narcotics, and approximately $1,700.00 in U.S. currency.
Castillo was transported to the Tom Green County Jail and charged with First Degree Felony Manufacture Delivery Controlled Substance Penalty Group 1 >=200G<400G and an outstanding warrant.
The Department’s Patrol Division assisted the operation.
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