Two Amarillo Police officers shot at their stolen patrol
car in a crowded parking lot early today as a 20-year-old
man tried to run them down in it, according to police reports.
Elmer Trillo later wrecked the patrol car and was arrested after a
short foot chase. Trillo was injured in the wreck, police said, and
was transported by ambulance to Northwest Texas Hospital
where he was condition listed in serious at press time. Shots fired
at the car missed Trillo, according to an APD news release.
Officers Kenneth Donais, Shawn Uselding and two rookies in training
were patrolling the Coaches Sports Bar & Cafe parking lot, 4901 S.
Washington St., shortly after the bar closed at 2 am. They spotted
Trillo in the packed parking lot and arrested him for public
intoxication after questioning him.
One of the officers handcuffed Trillo's hands behind his back and seated
him in the back seat of a nearby patrol car and shut the door. While
the officers were standing in the parking lot, Trillo was able to slip
out of the handcuffs and crawl into the patrol car's front seat, where
he turned the key in the ignition and circled the bars parking lot,
dragging Donais, who was gripping the open driver's side door.
After Donais lost his grip and fell onto the pavement, he and Uselding
pulled their handguns and started firing at the patrol car that was
headed straight for them, according to the release. Bar patrons still
in the parking lot dropped to the ground, police reports stated.
The gunshots didn't stop the car, however, and Trillo raced out of the
parking lot and turned north onto Washington Street. He didn't get far
before he smashed the patrol car into a traffic signal at 46th Avenue
and Washington Street.
Trillo, seriously injured from the car wreck, jumped from the front
seat and ran one block north onto 45th Avenue, where he hid under a
van in the 500 block. There an officer spotted him and re-arrested him.
Trillo then was taken by ambulance to NWTH. Donais also was taken
to NWTH, where he was treated and released. Trillo was charged with
public intoxication, aggravated assault on a police officer and
auto theft.
The patrol car received severe damage from the accident and also was
damaged from gunshots, according to the release.
Donais and Uselding, along with their rookies, will be back at work
tonight, unless they normally take off Fridays, said APD Sgt. Rudy
Montano.
Officers have yet to determine how Trillo escaped the handcuffs. Coaches
patrons leaving the bar were uninjured during the shooting. The incident
was still under investigation at press time.
The Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission will investigate the incident
because a minor was arrested for intoxication in the bar's parking
lot. If the TABC can prove a bartender served Trillo, the bar's liquor
license could be suspended, said TABC Sgt. Rod Vernier. However, he
said the case would be hard to prove because Trillo was not arrested
inside the bar.
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http://www.amarillonet.com/stories/051200/new_officersshoot.shtml 2/28/01