Monday, Mar. 01, 2010

Angry ex-husband allegedly rams ex-wife and new boyfriend in car

Suspect has posted bail

An angry ex-husband tried to play demolition derby with his ex-wife and new boyfriend in Los Banos and wound up behind bars.

Sheriff’s Deputy John Mathis was sent Friday to Henry Miller Road and Badger Flat Road on a report that an assault had just occurred between a husband and wife.

When he arrived, he learned that the victim's ex-husband, 27-year-old Faustino Torres, had seen his ex-wife, 26, and her new 24-year-old boyfriend driving through town, according to a sheriff’s department news release.

Torres told deputies later that he’d become angry when he saw his ex-wife drop off their 8-year-old son with her new boyfriend. So while they were traveling southbound on Badger Flat Road, Torres rammed the front of their 1990 Red Honda with his 1994 Green Dodge Van, causing them to spin out of control, according to the news release.

The Honda did a complete 180-degree turn and was facing northbound. The victims drove off in an attempt to get away from Torres, who rammed them a couple more times before both cars lost control and crashed, the news release said. The Honda went through a fence at the dead end of Badger Flat Road, while the van spun out into some bushes before pulling back onto the road and stopping.

No injuries were reported during the incident, and several bystanders were able to keep Torres away from his ex-wife until Mathis could arrive, the news release said.

Torres was booked into the Merced County Jail on assault with a deadly weapon charges and has posted $30,000 bail.