BIG SPRING, Texas — A Big Spring man is thankful to be alive after being beaten and then shot in the face after what police believe to be the result of road rage.
It all happened near the 3400 Block of East 11th on Sept. 4.
Why are we just now hearing about it?
Big Spring Police decided on Tuesday to share what happened with the public in hopes of finding the two suspects involved.
As for the victim, David Velasco, he is still in pain.
He is home after spending five days in the hospital. Not only was he punched and shot in the jaw, but the bullet’s shrapnel also went into his shoulder and chest, causing him to need dental surgery to try and fix some of the damage to his mouth.
“My arm, I don’t know if you can see, my teeth, they said they found bullets…they said I inhaled bullets," Velasco said. "I’m recovering fast thanks to God but I was in pretty bad shape.”
Velasco was on his way to Dallas to visit his daughter who was sick with COVID-19 at the hospital when a silver Dodge quad cab truck started to follow him.
“I’m going down 700 and this guy is just messing with me on the road," Velasco said. "I slow down, he slows down....I speed up and he speeds up...so I turn off and he blocks me they both get out and they both are just acting like hoodlums.”
Velasco, who had his firearm in hand, tell us he then got out of his car.
“I have my firearm and I get out. Well, the driver was acting like he had a pistol in his waistband. And I said ‘What is y’all's problem?’ So the passenger he was staying back, but the driver was acting crazy.”
Velasco says that's when the driver punched him in the face.
“I start backing up in my truck and so I back up to my truck and I do a warning shot and shot my pistol in the air," Velasco said. “I put my truck back in drive and as soon as I turn back I see a shotgun in my face and boom he shoots me.”
Velasco believes it was more than road rage. He thinks the suspects mistook him for someone else and he was a targeted hit.
“I don’t know if it was me being targeted or the truck that I was driving that was being targeted," Velasco said. "That’s why I got out of the car and get to the bottom of it but the driver just wanted blood.”
We asked Big Spring Police about this. They tell us they think the incident is strictly road rage.
Regardless, Velasco learned to never get out of your car when dealing with an aggressive driver.
“If someone is messing with you try to get away, try to get their license plate number, and call the police department," Velasco said. "They’ll know what’s going on."
Big Spring police tell us the driver is wanted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder.
As for the passenger who was with him? Police did not confirm if he faces charges, too.