ODESSA, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- An Odessa man was arrested last weekend after investigators said he allegedly followed a man for several miles and repeatedly rammed into his truck. Juan Salazar, 20, has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
According to an Odessa Police Department report, around 3:00 a.m. on June 3, officers were called about a “rolling disturbance”- officers eventually caught up with the people involved around 8th Street and Dixie Boulevard. There, officers met with Salazar who said he was driving east from W Loop 338 on 8th Street when the driver of a Ford F-150 pulled in front him and hit his brakes, causing him to rear-end him.
Salazar, who appeared to be intoxicated, told investigators that the driver of the Ford left the scene of the crash- so he said he followed, and rammed into the Ford again “like the police do” to make the driver stop so they could exchange information. Salazar said the driver of the Ford stepped out of his truck and tried to tackle him- that’s when investigators arrived on the scene.
Investigators then spoke with the 19-year-old driver of the Ford- the teen said he and Salazar got into a verbal argument while driving and said Salazar rammed him three or four times. According to the teen, he got blocked in at 8th and Dixie, where Salazar rammed him one more time. He also claimed that Salazar tried to start a fight after they both exited their trucks.
While speaking with the officers, Salazar reportedly smelled of alcohol, was confused, and spoke with a slurred speech- he later allegedly failed a series of field sobriety tests and admitted he’d had six Twisted Teas prior to getting behind the wheel.
Salazar was arrested and taken to the Ector County Law Enforcement Center where he was later released on a combined $25,000 bond.