Mission man charged after break-in, squad car theft, chase

MISSION — A man accused of breaking into a home and stealing a squad car during a police chase faced multiple charges at his arraignment hearing Tuesday afternoon.

Police arrested Angel Garza, 19, at his house Monday after they found him hiding under a bed, according to a police affidavit. Officers also arrested Garza’s mother, Irene, on suspicion of hindering her son’s apprehension.

Just before 2 a.m. Monday, Garza and two other men approached a home on the 500 block of Abraham Street on the pretext that they were stranded motorists in need of a cell phone, according to investigators.

The trio then forced their way into the home, beat a woman with a crowbar and tied her up, the record states. Another victim inside the house hit one of the attackers with a baseball bat and called police before the men tied her up as well.

When police arrived, Garza sped away from the scene in a gold Ford Taurus while Rogiberto Ramirez Jr., 23, and David Alejandro Acosta, 20, fled the scene on foot, the record states.

Police said Garza bailed out of the Taurus near the intersection of Expressway 83 and Los Ebanos Road and jumped into an unlocked police vehicle while one of the pursuing officers attempted to follow the suspects on foot.

Helicopter pilots with the Texas Department of Public Safety who were assisting in the chase saw Garza drive the squad car to his residence on the 300 block of Sol Dorado Street and enter through the home’s back door. Officers on the ground noticed blood on the parked police unit and on the back door of the house as they approached the home, the record states. Police later learned that Garza had wounded his hand during the home invasion.

Moments after officers knocked on the home’s front door, Garza’s mother answered and told authorities the only other person inside was her daughter, according to the affidavit. Officials said the woman initially refused to allow the officers inside.

“It was enough to arrest her,” Mission police spokesman Jody Tittle said.

Jennifer Garza, the woman’s daughter, eventually walked outside and told officers that her brother Angel was inside.

“It happened so fast,” Jennifer Garza said, adding that police arrived shortly after her brother walked in.

Officers followed several pools of blood scattered about the floor of the home and found Angel Garza trying to hide beneath a bed.

“They started banging on the door, yelling at (my mother),” Jennifer Garza said of the police officers. “My mom doesn’t understand that much. … You have to break it down for her.”

Jennifer Garza said her mother was likely hesitant to allow the officers inside the home out of confusion and fear.

“My brother’s been in trouble with little things before,” the 21-year-old said as she nervously waited for the group’s arraignment hearing Tuesday afternoon. “I’m here for my mom.”

Mission Municipal Judge Jonathan Wehrmeister gave each of the men a bond of more than $1 million in connection with the aggravated robbery.

Wehrmeister handed Angel Garza the most charges, including two counts of aggravated robbery and two counts of evading arrest with a vehicle.

His mother was charged with hindering apprehension or arrest, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in county jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000 upon conviction. Relatives said the woman would likely be released from the Hidalgo County Jail on bond by Wednesday night.

Acosta wore a white bandage on his head during the arraignment, likely due to injuries sustained during the home invasion.

Aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony. If convicted, the men could each face up to life in prison and an optional fine of up to $10,000.

Angel Garza has a prior conviction for evading arrest, for which he is currently serving probation. Ramirez has previously been convicted of marijuana possession.

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