Police: Man in Wednesday Rollover Jailed for Assault and Two Hit and Runs

A 40-year-old San Angelo man was arrested Wednesday following a road-rage incident that led to an assault and two separate hit and run collisions.

Steven Montemayor was taken into custody in the 800 block of West Avenue K—several blocks from a rollover crash at West Avenue L and Austin Street. 

Witnesses who observed Montemayor run away from the crash alerted officer E. Hunger, who was initially dispatched to investigate the crash, to Montemayor’s location. When officer Hunger turned onto Avenue K, he observed Montemayor climbing into the back seat of a black passenger car. 

Police learned that prior to Montemayor being taken into custody, Montemayor reportedly flagged down the occupants, climbed into the back seat and told them to drive off in an attempt to flee the crash, however the driver refused to leave, allowing officer Hunger to take Montemayor into custody. 

During the crash investigation, police learned Montemayor was driving west on Avenue L at a high rate of speed in a white 2014 Dodge Avenger when he failed to stop at a stop sign and collided with a 2013 Ford F-350 pickup that had just entered the intersection.  The impact caused Montemayor’s vehicle to spin and eventually roll over.  The driver of the pickup, a 62-year-old San Angelo man, was transported to Community Hospital for evaluation of possible injury.  The crash occurred just before 1:00 p.m.        

Minutes prior to this crash, San Angelo police responded to the 100 block of Paint Rock Road for the report of a crash, where witnesses said a white Dodge Avenger ran a red light and collided with a white 1998 Buick before leaving the scene at a high rate of speed.  The driver of the Buick, a 57-year-old San Angelo woman, was not injured in the crash.  It was determined later that Montemayor was the driver who collided with the Buick and fled the scene.   

Montemayor was also linked to an assault that occurred within the hour of both hit and run collisions.  Just after 12:00 p.m. yesterday, San Angelo police were dispatched to the area of W. Harris and S. Abe Streets for the report of an assault that allegedly stemmed from a case of road-rage.  Upon arrival, officers learned that a man driving a white Dodge Avenger assaulted a 62-year-old San Angelo man who was stopped at a red light.  A witness to the assault, who called the police, reportedly observed the driver of the Dodge attack the victim’s car before he punched the victim in the face.  The witness followed the suspect and reported the license plate to police.  A records search of the license plate number showed the plate was assigned to a white Dodge Avenger— registered to Montemayor. 

Montemayor was charged with an outstanding arrest warrant and cited for safety belt offense, disregard stop sign, disregard red light, two counts no insurance, and two counts fail to stop and give information.  Additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of the assault investigation.  Montemayor was transported to Shannon Medical Center for evaluation after the rollover crash and upon his release, to the Tom Green County Jail.