TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas -- A man has received multiple charges after officials say he struck a police vehicle that was on the scene of another crash.
According to court documents, police were working the scene of a crash on the 1000 block of Bastrop Highway on Saturday around 2:30 a.m. when a patrol vehicle was struck while it was blocking traffic. Police said the white sedan continued driving, which was later observed by another officer driving into a Metro PCS parking lot about a quarter mile away.
The driver, identified as Mark Anthony Arriaga, 25, and his passenger were immediately detained. Police said they observed heavy damage to the right front side of the vehicle, while the patrol vehicle had damage to the left front side.
The affidavit states Arriaga admitted he knew he was driving and that he had to get away quickly. Police said Arriaga made eye contact with the officer after striking the patrol car and ignored the officer's orders to get out of his vehicle. According to police, Arriaga also admitted to feeling drunk while he was driving.
Police said that when Arriaga was pulled from his vehicle, a police sergeant observed 7.4 grams of a brownish tar-like substance in the driver's side door panel, which later tested positive for heroin. A digital scale was also found near the heroin, the affidavit states.
Arriaga also reportedly admitted he originally had 27 grams of heroin that he had begun selling on Friday for $80 a gram. The affidavit states Arriaga admitted to selling heroin and cocaine as his primary source of income and that he is "addicted to the drug dealer lifestyle."
Due to the discovery of heron, police issued a probable cause search on the vehicle and both passengers. While searching passenger Sage Jackson's purse, police said marijuana was found, which she took responsibility for -- a Class B misdemeanor. Police said during their interaction with her, it became apparent that she was heavily intoxicated and she had to be confined inside the patrol vehicle to prevent her from interfering with the investigation. Jackson, 20, was charged with public intoxication, a Class C misdemeanor.
Arriaga was charged with driving while intoxicated, a Class B misdemeanor, evading arrest, a third-degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a first-degree felony. His total bond was set at $55,000.
