Officers Find Cocaine, Stolen AR-15 Rifle Inside Suspected Road Rage Shooter's Truck
GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Garland police arrested Luis Bethancourt-Molina, 22, of Plano in connection to multiple road rage shootings.
Investigators said Bethancourt-Molina is a suspect in multiple other road rage shooting investigations in the metroplex, as well as a shooting that happened in Garland, Thursday, August 20.
Shortly before 7 p.m., on August 23, Garland Police 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, saw 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 officer got behind the truck, the driver, later identified as Bethancourt-Molina, suddenly turned into a shopping center in the 2500 block of Forest Lane.
Five people, including Bethancourt-Molina were inside the truck. Inside the truck, officers located an AR-15 22 caliber rifle along with numerous live bullets and spent shell casings. The rifle had one round in the chamber, ready to fire. It was later discovered the rifle was stolen out of Richland Hills, TX. Officers also found cocaine inside the vehicle. The front passenger, 19-year-old Carol Orozco Sevilla, 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.
The investigation revealed the victim was traveling westbound on Highway 66 in a blue Jeep, near Dairy Road, when he saw the Dodge Ram 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. Bethancourt-Molina drove alongside the Jeep and then proceeded to drive in front of him.
At that time, it is believed Bethancourt-Molinapointed 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.
Bethancourt-Molina was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Theft of a Firearm.
He, along with Orozco Sevilla, and Castaneda are in the Garland Detention Center.
