GARLAND, Texas – Garland police arrested a 29-year-old man who they say fired his guns into the air before running over a police officer on Sunday night.
It happened just after 9:30 p.m. at the intersection of South First Street and Glenfield Drive, CBSDFW reported.
Someone called police to report a man firing guns into the air at a convenience store. The suspect was later later identified as Gabriel Cobarrubias. They also said he was blocking another customer’s car with a red Infiniti. When asked to move his car by an employee, Cobarrubias produced two handguns and fired them into the air, yelling, “What are you going to do?”
When officers arrived, the Infiniti was located in the parking lot of the convenience store with the engine running. The car was unoccupied.
Cobarrubias was later seen exiting the store and walking toward his car. Not knowing where the guns were, officers gave Cobarrubias commands to surrender, but he refused and retreated back into the store. After attempting to communicate with Cobarrubias, he eventually exited the store and began to quickly walk toward his vehicle.
Due to the report of Cobarrubias shooting guns near the convenience store, and not knowing where the weapons were located, officers ordered him away from the car.
Nevertheless, Cobarrubias ignored officer’s commands and entered the Infiniti. As a result, one officer attempted to detain him by reaching into the driver’s door.
Cobarrubias put the Infiniti into reverse and quickly backed up in his attempt to get away. When doing so, the officer was trapped and dragged through the parking lot. When Cobarrubias turned the wheel, it freed the officer, but his leg was run over. Additionally, the passenger door struck the other officer, reported CBSDFW.
A police helicopter with the Department of Public Safety (DPS) was able to assist and tracked Cobarrubias as he fled through the residential neighborhood at a high rate of speed.
He finally stopped in the south ally in the 2000 block of Merrimac Trail. The helicopter saw Cobarrubias approach the rear door of a house but then flee into a nearby field.
A Garland Police Department K9 Officer responded with his police service dog (PSD). With the help of the DPS helicopter and the K9, Cobarrubias was found in a drainage pipe and arrested. During the arrest, Cobarrubias is accused of injuring the PSD. Details were not provided.
Officers located the handgun which was hidden in the backyard of the house on Merrimac Trail. The second was also recovered.
Investigation revealed that Cobarrubias had an active felony warrant for Burglary of Building out of Dallas County.
The officer dragged by Cobarrubias was transported to a hospital where it was learned he suffered a fractured tailbone. The officer also suffered numerous abrasions to his arms and legs, according to the report. He was later released.
The second officer suffered minor injuries to his knee and hip from being struck by the door.
Cobarrubias is currently in the Garland Detention Center on multiple charges, including two counts of Aggravated Assault against a Police Officer, Discharge of Firearms in Certain Municipalities, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by Felon.
