TEXARKANA, Texas–A local man has been charged with two counts of child endangerment in connection with a crash last month that began as a dispute involving family members at a yard sale in Texarkana.
Aniceto Salais Martinez, 50, is being held in the Bowie County jail with bail set at $175,000. Martinez and his girlfriend were allegedly pursuing a yard sale March 28 when his son and daughter-in-law showed up to shop, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The daughter-in-law allegedly began arguing with Martinez’s girlfriend because she was upset that Martinez was dating while his wife lived in another country, the affidavit said. The daughter-in-law allegedly had a physical altercation with Martinez’s girlfriend as she sat in Martinez’s gray truck holding her 5-year-old child.
The daughter-in-law allegedly grabbed a cell phone the girlfriend had used to record the altercation out of the truck before getting into a blue Chevrolet Tahoe with Martinez’s son and their 1-year-old child.
Martinez allegedly followed after the truck, catching up to it in the 3000 block of Texas Blvd. near the intersection with Yale St. Martinez allegedly swerved in front of the truck, causing the vehicles to collide. The truck and Tahoe reportedly pulled into the parking lot of a glass repair business on Texas Blvd. and Martinez allegedly retrieved his girlfriend’s phone from the truck before driving away.
Police arrested Martinez for endangering the children in the truck and the Tahoe.
If convicted, he faces two to 20 years on each count. The case has been assigned to 202nd District Judge John Tidwell.