A deadly encounter outside a Houston Mexican grill has left one man dead and an unlicensed security guard charged with murder. Hugo Daniel Bahena Dominguez, 25, is accused of shooting 30-year-old Eric Colin on December 21 after a dispute over counterfeit money used to pay a restaurant bill at Ruchi's Mexican Grill. ABC13 reports that after the shooting, Bahena Dominguez appeared to celebrate, fist-bumping with restaurant employees, according to court records.
Following the confrontation over the alleged fake cash used to settle a tab, Bahena Dominguez quickly pursued two men who ran to their vehicle outside the restaurant, located in the 3200 block of 610 South Loop West. He reportedly yelled "stop" before firing his weapon twice at the fleeing men. Colin, struck by the gunfire, was later driven to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital in a private vehicle and was pronounced dead from his injuries, the Houston Chronicle confirms.
The guard was arrested at his home in Pasadena and his bond has been set at $500,000. According to court documents, Bahena Dominguez, who has stated he was in the process of obtaining a security license, did not call the police after the incident. Instead, he is said to have picked up the shell casings from the ground and returned into the establishment. Police later found the casings in a coffee can along with the counterfeit bills.
In court, a high bond was deemed necessary due to the nature of the crime. "The fact that Mr. Bahena Dominguez is accused of shooting and killing the complainant who was accused of dining and dashing from the restaurant where he worked as a security guard," was part of the rationale used by the hearing officer, as reported by ABC13. Surveillance footage further incriminated the guard, capturing the post-shooting interaction with restaurant staff.
The defense attorney for Bahena Dominguez did not immediately respond to requests for comments on the case. Meanwhile, the family of Eric Colin grieves a life lost, leaving a community to reckon with the consequences of a counterfeit bill and a fatal decision.
