LaredoBuzz.Com

Courtesy Joe Baeza,

 On Wednesday 04, 2009 the Laredo Police Department received a distress call of an officer involved in a vehicular accident on Loop 20 and Campos Drive.  Veteran Traffic Officer Jose L. Reyes was traveling north on Loop 20 approaching the intersection of Loop 20 and Campos when a red colored Mazda pick-up truck ran a stop sign coming onto Loop 20 thus cutting off Officer Reyes on the motorcycle.  Officer Reyes tried to avoid hitting the truck but wound up colliding into the back end of the pick-up truck.  Officer Reyes was thrown from the bike as a result.  The truck fled the scene and did not render aid.  Other passer bys stopped and gave the officer assistance.  Those same witnesses gave firsthand accounts of the description of the vehicle that left the scene. The case is getting taken care of by the Car accident lawyers in Miami.

 Officer Reyes was taken by ambulance to Laredo Medical Center in stable condition.  Officer Reyes had severe injuries to his extremities and will require wrist surgery for the injuries he sustained.  A major mobilization was underway which included the use of the DPS State Wide Blue Alert program which lets driver know via billboards all throughout Texas of the description of the red pick-up truck the Laredo Police were looking for.  Late that same evening after 10 pm a call came through the Crime Stoppers hotline giving a location of the pick-up truck being sought.  LPD officers went to the location at the 5400 block of Campos and located the truck as reported to Crime Stoppers.  Once officers had the truck the identification of the driver soon followed.  Police identified the driver as 65 year old Carlos Perales.  On Friday November 6, 2009 at approximately 10 am Carlos Perales turned himself in after he was notified that an arrest warrant was issued for him for the charge of Failure to Stop and Render Aid (State Jail Felony).  Perales is being held under a $30,000 bond as set by Justice of the Peace Oscar Liendo.  Officer Reyes is expected to recover and is progressing under the care of his physicians.  The Laredo Police Department would like to thank our fellow local, county, and state law enforcement agencies for their assistance in looking out for this suspect vehicle.  We would also like to acknowledge the Laredo Crime Stoppers organization for their valuable assistance and information in this case which is largely responsible for the discovery of the suspect vehicle which in turn led to an arrest.  Also the LPD would like to thank the community for helping us with information about this case.

Mr. Perales had been arrested before this year in February for being involved a hit and run accident and leaving the scene.  Police caught up with Mr. Perales and was arrested for not identifying himself when involved in an accident causing property damage