Police Arrest Man With Machete After Assault

A 44-year-old San Angelo man is facing multiple assault charges after he displayed a machete to threaten two people who came to the aid of a woman he assaulted in north San Angelo yesterday.

Just after noon yesterday, San Angelo Public Safety Communications received multiple calls about a female who was being assaulted by a male in the 700 block of Humble Road.

Upon arrival, police were flagged down by several witnesses who observed the assault and attempted to intervene. 

During the investigation, police learned the suspect, identified as Richard Bastardo, was driving in the area with a 31-year-old female acquaintance as a passenger when they began to argue.  At some point during the argument, the female victim asked Bastardo to pull over and let her out.  When the woman exited the vehicle, Bastardo followed and assaulted her.  Witnesses who were passing by were alerted to the assault when they heard the woman screaming.   When the witnesses confronted Bastardo, the woman broke free and ran away.  As the witnesses were attempting to leave the area, Bastardo retrieved a machete from his vehicle and began threatening them.  Bastardo reportedly put the machete back inside his vehicle once he learned police were on their way.

Bastardo was charged with “Assault Causes Bodily Injury Family Violence” and “Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon” and transported to the Tom Green County Jail without incident. 

The machete was located inside Bastardo’s vehicle. 

Police said that this is an ongoing investigation and no additional information can be released at this time.