POTEET, Texas-- Five people have been arrested after shots were fired at the Poteet police chief.
Investigators say Chief Martin Chavez tried to pull over a pickup truck off of Avenue L and 9th Street just before 7:00 p.m. Wednesday.
"As the Chief got closer, they engaged the pickup from park to drive, took off, Chief tried to get in between the door and the driver to see what was going on," said Sgt. Luis Farias of the Poteet Police Department.
As the truck started moving, Chief Chavez attempted to stop it.
"He, in turn, drew his service revolver, shot three times at the vehicle, and they returned fire," Sgt. Farias explained.
Sgt. Farias said a passenger inside the truck fired at least three shots at Chief Chavez. The people inside the truck ran into a house.
"They knew they were surrounded," Sgt. Farias told News 4 WOAI.
Law enforcement officers then went to move in on the suspects. Sgt. Farias said one of the suspects was just inches away from a handgun. Fearing the suspect would use the gun, a police K-9 officer named "Niko" stepped in and bit the suspect's right arm.
Sgt. Farias told News 4 WOAI neither Chief Chavez nor the suspects were injured by the gunshots.
Four men and one woman were arrested and booked into the Atascosa County Jail.
Christopher Angel Santos, 28, has been charged with interfering with public duty, two counts of possession of controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.
Andrew Escamilla was charged with interfering with public duty, possession of controlled substance, and possession of marijuana.
Michael Anthony Coronado, 29, has been charged with evading arrest.
Roberto Escamilla, 41, has been charged with aggravated assault on a public servant with deadly weapon, evading arrest in a motor vehicle.
Jennifer Aranda, 25, has been charged with two counts of possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.
"We're going to take back the city, and all crime is going to be prosecuted to the fullest extent," added Farias.
