Three charged with beating woman, holding child at gunpoint in Pharr

PHARR — Three men have been arraigned for allegedly beating a woman and holding her child at gunpoint during a robbery Thursday morning.

About 1:31 a.m., officers rushed to the 400 block of North Erica Street to respond to an aggravated robbery, according to Pharr police Chief Ruben Villescas.

There, a 43-year-old woman told police a group of men wearing stockings over their heads broke into her home and demanded the keys to her 2005 Chevrolet Malibu, said Guadalupe Salinas, a Pharr police spokesman.

They also tried to take her Chevrolet S-10 but it was out of gas, the woman said during a phone interview Friday.

The men then beat her up and threatened to shoot her 8-year-old daughter if the woman didn't hand over the keys, Salinas said.

The mother was struck in the face several times, but the child did not sustain any injuries, the spokesman said. Emergency responders rushed the woman to McAllen Medical Center, where she was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

"I feel sore and I'm bruised," the woman said during a telephone call Friday. "But it was worse that they took my daughter."

Officers found the Malibu about six blocks from the victim's home and attempted to pull over the driver, Salinas said. Instead of stopping, though, Pedro Perez led police on a short chase through the neighborhood until he struck a fence. Police arrested Perez, 20, Daviel Flores, 18, and Armando Martinez, 19.

Officers recovered a handgun from the vehicle, Salinas said.

The suspects were charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated assault and evading arrest at their arraignment Thursday afternoon in Pharr Municipal Court. Perez also faces a misdemeanor charge in connection with the crash into the fence.

The trio is being held at the Hidalgo County Jail in lieu of bonds topping $1.1 million.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.