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A 37-year-old Donna man arrested last Wednesday after allegedly crashing into and killing another man while seriously injuring his passenger was fleeing a residence of a person he may have been harassing.
Jose Guadalupe Padilla was arrested for murder and aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury after allegedly crashing into Erick Alberto Juarez, who died, and Martha Valencia.
Padilla also had a warrant out for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon which was the reason Padilla ran from police causing a pursuit that resulted in the fatal crash, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The fatal series of events began when Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputies went to a Weslaco residence in reference to a suspicious vehicle that was later reclassified as evading arrest with a vehicle.
“The complainant advised that there was a male knocking on the window of the residence holding an unknown object in his hand,” the affidavit said. “The caller said that it was possibly Jose Padilla.”
Deputies then learned that Padilla had a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and that he was traveling south in a white Kia Optima.
At around 9:39 p.m., another deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Padilla who was disregarding designated stops, but Padilla wouldn’t stop.
“Padilla ensued a pursuit and intentionally fled from law enforcement attempting to lawfully detain Padilla for violations of the Texas Transportation Code,” the affidavit said.
Padilla continued to flee northbound on Victoria Road and was approaching the intersection of Victoria Road and U.S. Business 83 where he was struck by a red Ford Ranger driven by Juarez.
The deputy stopped to render aid to Juarez and his passenger, Valencia, who were both transported to McAllen Medical Center where Juarez was pronounced dead.
Padilla was taken to Doctors Hospital at Renaissance for a medical clearance and treatment.
It was there that the deputy smelled an odor of metabolized alcohol emitting from Padilla’s breath.
Padilla remains jailed at the Hidalgo County Adult Detention Center on $1,083,000 in bonds.
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Donna man charged with murder for fatal crash; was wanted for assault
