Officers arrest road rage suspect

Aug. 24, 2020

Shortly before 7 p.m. Aug. 23, the Garland Police Department responded to the area of State Highway 66 and Dairy Road about a shooting. While officers were responding, they were made aware the suspect vehicle was an older model beige in color Dodge Ram pickup driven by a Hispanic male that fled westbound in the direction of the Garland Police Department.

 

Officers, who were in the area, observed the Dodge traveling westbound in the 1800 block of Forest Lane.  The Dodge was observed to swerve quickly from one lane to another. As the police officer got behind the truck, the driver suddenly turned into a shopping center in the 2500 block of Forest Lane.

 

The Dodge was occupied by five individuals.  Inside the truck, officers located an AR15 22 caliber rifle along with numerous live bullets and spent shell casings.  The rifle had one round in the chamber, ready to fire.  Officers also found cocaine inside the vehicle.

 

The investigation revealed the victim was traveling westbound on Highway 66 in a blue Jeep near Dairy Road when he observed the beige in color Dodge Ram four-door pickup traveling at a high rate of speed behind him. Officers were told the truck got directly behind the Jeep and drove extremely close to the bumper. The driver of the Dodge drove alongside the Jeep and then proceeded to drive in front of him.

 

At that time, it is believed the driver of the Dodge pointed a black AR-style rifle at the victim and fired multiple times.  The driver of the Jeep was not injured and the vehicle was not damaged. It was later discovered the rifle was stolen out of Richland Hills.

The driver of the Dodge, who is identified as 22-year-old Luis Bethancourt-Molina, resident of Plano, was arrested and charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Theft of a Firearm.

 

Bethancourt-Molina is believed to be a suspect in multiple other road rage shooting investigations in the metroplex, as well as the shooting that occurred in Garland, Thursday, August 20.

 

The front passenger, 19-year-old Carol Orozco Sevilla, resident of Dallas, was charged with Possession of Cocaine and a back passenger, 17-year-old Yoselin Castaneda, was arrested for a misdemeanor warrant out of Irving.

 

Bethancourt-Molina, Orozco Sevilla and Castaneda are in the Garland Detention Center. The investigation remains active.

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