YORK – Mariano Rico-Jasso, 35, of Pecos, Texas, who is also classified in court documents as being a transient in York County, has pleaded not guilty in a case where he is accused of stealing a vehicle, driving drunk and wrecking it in York.
According to court documents, a deputy with the York County Sheriff’s Department was contacted by witnesses who said they saw a vehicle go through a stop sign at the intersection of North Lincoln Avenue and Highway 34 and then into a ditch. The reporting witnesses stopped to check on the driver and he advised them not to call police officers because the vehicle was stolen.
The sheriff’s department also received a call from an off-duty deputy who said he stopped to help when he came upon the situation and he needed assistance as the driver also told him he was wanted and the vehicle was stolen.
Rico-Jasso was the driver.
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The deputies said it appeared Rico-Jasso tried to discard an alcoholic beverage container and he appeared to be intoxicated.
In the affidavit filed with the court, the reporting deputy says standardized field sobriety testing “was not attempted due to Rico-Jasso’s aggressive and belligerent demeanor.” They said he became upset as the deputy conducted a records check of his name on the radio. And they said he began to yell at deputies, making numerous threats to each, allegedly that he was going to knock them out and kill them.
They said he also admitted to taking the car, saying he stole it and “just jumped into it.” He said he had been drinking and he was “hauling a**” before he missed his turn.
The deputy says in the affidavit he attempted four separate times to administrate a preliminary breath test, but Rico-Jasso would not comply.
He was taken to the York County Jail where he was eventually tested, with the results stating his blood alcohol level was .19, more than double the legal limit.
The sheriff’s department was also advised that an employee at York General Hospital had reported her car was stolen. The employee said she was unloading items and left it unattended and running.
Surveillance footage shows Rico-Jasso walking next to the hospital, getting inside the vehicle and driving away.
It is noted that Rico-Jasso’s criminal history includes numerous offenses in Texas, including burglary, evading arrest, resisting arrest, terroristic threats, terroristic threats against a public servant, robbery, public intoxication, assault, terroristic threats of family, criminal trespassing and false reporting.
In York County, he was been charged with theft by unlawful taking with a value of more than $5,000, a Class 2A felony; two counts of terroristic threats, both Class 3A felonies; driving under the influence, first offense, a misdemeanor; refusal to submit to a pre-test, a Class 5 misdemeanor; and unauthorized use of a propelled vehicle, a Class 3 misdemeanor.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him and a jury trial has been set for late October.