Dallas driver's car disabled after sideswiping several cars, triggering violent rampage: affidavit
DALLAS - Police say a Plano man went on a violent rampage on the LBJ Freeway during Tuesday morning’s rush hour that sent three people to the hospital.
Angel Zamora Moreno,26, is facing seven counts of aggravated assault, two counts of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and one count of criminal mischief.
Timeline of Events
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Zamora’s rampage began around 7 a.m. when he sideswiped a white Toyota Camry, a black Toyota Carolla and a silver Nissan Rogue with his gold Toyota Camry on the interstate between Greenville Avenue and Forest Lane. He then crashed into an 18-wheeler, disabling his car.
When everyone stopped to check the damage, the affidavit says Moreno pulled an 8-inch fixed-blade knife out of his trunk and ran toward the woman in the white Toyota Camry. She got back into her car, fearing for her life.
The affidavit says Moreno tried to pull the woman’s door open but was unsuccessful.
Moreno then jumped onto the hood of another car behind the woman’s car and jumped on the windshield, causing about $500 in damage, according to the report.
Knife-wielding attacker stabs 1, hits 2 others with car on LBJ, Dallas PD says
Police say the enraged driver stabbed a man and then hit two other people with their own vehicles. Good Samaritans pinned him down until police arrived.
As the driver took off, Moreno fell off onto the ground.
The man in the black Toyota Carolla armed himself with a metal pipe and tried to intervene. Police say the driver managed to hit Moreno on the top of his head, but Moreno stabbed him in his side stomach and ear.
Witnesses say Moreno became more and more violent as each person stopped to help.
Another driver in a Chevrolet Silverado saw what happened and picked up the injured man to take him to the hospital.
The affidavit says Moreno then got into the truck of a TxDOT driver who pulled over to help. He used the work truck to ram the Silverado with the injured man still inside. The driver managed to drive off to rush the stabbing victim to the hospital.
Police say Moreno turned the TxDOT truck around and hit the TxDOT worker with his own truck. He was hit in the leg and suffered knee and wrist injuries, the affidavit says.
Moreno also rammed the back of the Nissan Rogue, disabling the TxDOT truck.
A medical professional saw the chaos happening and got out of her Nissan Altima to help the injured TxDOT worker.
The affidavit says Moreno then jumped into the Nissan Altima and chased the medical professional around before running her over, dragging her across two lanes of traffic.
Another witness ran to Moreno and reached over to turn off the Nissan Altima he was in.
As Moreno ran away, police say a group of good Samaritans managed to pin him down and held him until police arrived.
Moreno was taken to the hospital for an evaluation before being transferred to the Dallas County Jail.
Witness Describes Chaotic Scene
Johnathan McCain recalls the terrifying situation he found himself in while sitting in Dallas rush hour traffic Tuesday morning.
"You don’t know if is this the day that I die or am I gonna be fine," he said.
McCain was at a standstill in the westbound lanes of 635 near Forest Lane when his Nissan Rogue was sideswiped by Moreno.
McCain and the other drivers got out to check the damage.
"He got out of the car, went to his back trunk, opened his back trunk, opened a red toolbox, and that’s when he had a knife," he recalled.
After Moreno climbed into the TxDOT truck, he also rammed McCain's car.
"And once he was into the TxDOT truck, that’s when he came through and hit this side and then veered off. And that’s when he struck the TxDOT worker himself," he recalled.
McCain saw when Moreno ran over the medical professional who stopped to help.
"As frightened as it was for me, I can only imagine what she was feeling in the moment," he said.
McCain says Moreno was trying to fight off the group of bystanders that pinned him down until police arrived.
"I’ve had crazy moments in my life. Obviously, nothing like this," he said. "This is gonna be something we all remember for the rest of our lives."
Who is Angel Moreno?
Angel Moreno (Dallas County Jail)
Records show Moreno has a Plano-based address. A relative told police he hadn't lived there in about a month and that there were no violent incidents with him in the home.
Police recovered his knife and cell phone as evidence.
They are still working to determine a motive for the attacks.
Moreno has no criminal history, according to public records.