Man strikes home while fleeing police
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A 26-year-old Victoria man crashed his truck into a home in the 2300 block of Southwest Ben Jordan Street while attempting to flee from officers about 12:20 a.m. Friday, police said.
"I was barely falling asleep when I heard somebody put on brakes and cop sirens," said the homeowner, Olga Gonzales, 61. "I heard a bang. It shook the whole house."
Jose Montoya, the driver of the truck, was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container and felony evading arrest with a vehicle, according to the arrest report.
Gonzales said after the commotion, she and her husband went outside and saw the bed of a truck sticking out of their spare bedroom, which is adjacent to their bedroom.
"I thank God it wasn't this room or that room over there," she said pointing to rooms on either side of the gaping hole made by the truck.
Family members regularly stay in the other room adjacent to the spare bedroom, and grandchildren often play in the spare bedroom, Gonzales said.
Several minutes earlier, Victoria Police Department Officer Gilbert Cantu had attempted to pull over Montoya's Ford F-150, which was heard playing loud music alongside another vehicle, at the intersection of Laurent Street and Houston Highway, according to the report.
Montoya refused to stop and proceeded east on the highway and onto Stolz Street, said Sgt. Adam Nieto.
Montoya then turned south onto North Ben Jordan Street, reaching speeds of up to 80 mph. He accelerated through the street's intersection with Port Lavaca Highway, according to the arrest report.
He then struck a curb on the left side of the road in the 2300 block of Southwest Ben Jordan Street and accelerated through a grassy field before striking the home, Nieto said.
According to the arrest report, Montoya jumped out of a back door and fled south through the grassy field, where Cantu apprehended him about 30 feet later.
"I couldn't go back to sleep. I was just scared," Gonzales said.
Gonzales' husband, Jesse, recently suffered a heart attack and underwent several surgeries.
"I was scared for him because I wasn't sure how he was going to take it," his wife said.
The family had to cancel the insurance on the home to help pay his medical bills, Gonzales said.
They're hoping Montoya's insurance will help pay for repairs.
"I'm hoping to help (my father) fix it, because he can't do it himself," said the Gonzales' son, Andy Garza, 36.
A blue tarp covered the hole in the house and shattered glass and a headlight remained in the Gonzales' yard.
The family stayed upbeat, repeatedly saying they felt lucky that nobody, not even Montoya, was injured in the crash.
While officers were performing field sobriety tests, Montoya complained of sore ribs. He was taken to Citizens Medical Center, where he was cleared for incarceration, according to the report.
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All you need is a search warrant for the blood draw. Fax a PC Affidavit to a JP and boom, you got a warrant. After hours, it would be faxed to their house. Victoria could do the same.
April 2, 2011 at 3:53 p.m.We are all right in what we commented, refusing a breathalyzer in Victoria County gets a person a 180 day license suspension plus reinstatement fees and the end of suspension. Not to mention cancellation of insurance and at least a doubling of insurance costs when the license is reinstated.
April 2, 2011 at 2:51 p.m.The Officer was trying to enfore the city ordinance that bans loud music. That was the reason he was trying to stop the driver toomuchez. Sounds like enforcement to me.
April 2, 2011 at 2:09 p.m.Make tamales out of him.
April 2, 2011 at 12:54 p.m.At 26 I think this guy is a bit older than a kid.
April 2, 2011 at 9:16 a.m.Legion 123, you are correct, here in San Antonio we have NO REFUSAL!!!
April 2, 2011 at 9:07 a.m.A month ago, a 21 year old drunk going 100 mph ran into a home down the street from me. Caught the house on fire ... TOTAL LOSS of the home, it is now just a concrete slab. The homeowner was not home, only because he made a stop on his way ... he arrived 7 minutes after the incident happened.
When will drunks learn?!
Oh marvwill37, I am so sorry for your tragic loss. Please accept my heartfelt condolences and God bless you and your family.
April 2, 2011 at 8:48 a.m.Here we go again! These kids think that the law is for everyone else and not them! The story said it was reported that he was playing loud music.....well, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't there a very old law on the books that states that you can not have any noise in your vehicle that would not allow you to hear an emergency vehicles sirens? Isn't that why we can't drive with head phones on?????? I wish they would enforce the loud music laws!! Also, if the fool even had insurance and it doesn't pay to fix the home, the FOOL himself should be ordered by the Judge to do alll the repairs himself! Put him on some sort of work/jail order (if the FOOL even has a job) and his paycheck goes to the homeowner until the repairs are made! We need to get back to the old way of punishment, why let these idots sit in jail doing nothing, eating better than most of us, getting to exercise for free when most of us can't afford a gym membership, watching TV all day and living in temperature controlled environment! CHAIN GANGS!
April 2, 2011 at 8:38 a.m.So sorry for these home owners. I am glad no one was hurt. When a drunk ran through my home in 2003 my son was killed while sleeping in his bed.
April 2, 2011 at 8:19 a.m.Well John123, in San Antonio, they now have the NO REFUSAL thing going on.
April 1, 2011 at 6:46 p.m.They are going to take your blood for a ABT one way or another.
Failing to provide breath is not enough for a mandatory blood draw.
April 1, 2011 at 1:12 p.m.Well Vic Ad don't leave me hanging! Did they take a blood test to see if he was drunk since he refused to provide a breath sample? Finish your report next time. Don't stop without giving all the details! re-write! RE-WRITE!
April 1, 2011 at 10:13 a.m.