What should have been a quiet afternoon at a neighborhood park in northeast El Paso turned into a scene straight out of a nightmare on March 1, when police say a stolen SUV jumped the curb, tore across the grass at Burning Mesquite Park, and hit a mother who had just pushed her 6-year-old daughter out of the way.
The woman walked away with minor cuts and bruises, and police said the child was not seriously hurt. Witnesses did not just stand by, either. They chased the fleeing SUV on a motorcycle and later helped officers track down the vehicle at a nearby shopping center, leaving the neighborhood rattled and talking.
According to the El Paso Times, police identified the suspect as 28-year-old Robert Caleb Colmenero. Investigators told the paper he was behind the wheel of a stolen blue 2016 Honda CR‑V when it left the roadway and drove onto the park lawn. Officers also said the SUV struck a tent that was occupied by other people before speeding off. The mother, they noted, suffered only minor injuries after shoving her daughter out of the vehicle’s path. Colmenero was taken into custody "without incident," the Times reported.
Netnoticias reports that a motorcyclist took off after the CR‑V on a black 2007 SSXR Suzuki. During the pursuit, the rider was allegedly knocked over, leaving the bike with an estimated $1,230 in damage. One witness captured on video summed up the chaos: "We were about to leave and this guy just takes the stop sign, jumps the sidewalk and then just runs her over." Police said that a quick civilian response helped point officers toward the fleeing vehicle.
Where It Happened
The crash unfolded at Burning Mesquite Park, listed at 12547 Cevallia Ave. in northeast El Paso, according to MapQuest. The park is a typical neighborhood green space where families, kids, and youth teams often gather, which neighbors said made the whole episode especially unnerving. City listings highlight the park’s amenities and regular hours, a reminder that children are a common sight there and a big part of why the incident hit a nerve.
Arrest And Charges
Officers later located the stolen Honda CR‑V parked at the Vista Hills Retail Center and arrested Colmenero at the scene, as detailed by the El Paso Times. He is facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, one count of aggravated assault injury to a child, a theft of property charge tied to the allegedly stolen Honda, and a criminal mischief charge related to the damaged motorcycle, the paper reported. The Times also noted that Colmenero was being held on a total bond of $480,000.
