Austin man faces murder charge after gas station shooting, 2 other wrecks, police say
According to an arrest affidavit, APD said Jose Ehuric Hernandez killed a man following "a physical altercation" at a Shell gas station located at 6310 E. Ben White Blvd. He faces a charge of first-degree murder.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police arrested a man accused of shooting and killing someone at a gas station Aug. 5 in southeast Austin.
According to an arrest affidavit, APD said Jose Ehuric Hernandez, 29, killed Juan Pablo Morales-Rivera following "a physical altercation" at a Shell gas station located at 6310 E. Ben White Blvd. He faces a charge of first-degree murder. According to jail records, Hernandez is in custody at Travis County Jail. Once attorney information for Hernandez is available, we will reach out for a statement on his behalf.
The affidavit said the suspect was going up to people in the parking lot with a gas can, and then approached the victim who was in a pickup truck. Surveillance footage provided to APD by gas station management showed the suspect and the victim talking, then the suspect opened the door to the victim's pickup. A struggle happened between the two, the affidavit said, and then the victim stepped away from his pickup, holding his chest. The suspect then stole the victim's pickup and drove off, the affidavit said.
The victim was taken to the hospital by medics but later died.
Crashes, carjacking that same day
The affidavit also said Hernandez was involved in two incidents where he left the scene of an accident. Prior to the shooting, the affidavit said a man they identified as Hernandez crashed the Chevrolet Caprice he was driving into a van in the 7600 block of E. Ben White Blvd. The suspect told the driver of the van to pull over, but then left the scene. The driver of the van followed the suspect to the gas station where the suspect told the driver he could fix his van if he could get in it. The driver didn't let the man into the van, the affidavit said.
The crash before the shooting happened around 1:20 p.m., according to the affidavit. At 1:50 p.m., first responders went to the gas station for the reported shooting. After the shooting suspect left that scene, the affidavit said he rear-ended another car on East Ben White Boulevard close to the intersection with U.S. Highway 183.
That vehicle, with three people inside, lost control and went off the road. The driver was able to catch up with the driver who hit them at a dead end near Spirit of Texas Drive, and that's where the affidavit said the suspect fired two shots at the car but didn't hit anyone.
Around 5:40 p.m., APD said it found the pickup the suspect drove from the gas station abandoned in the 4600 block of Ed Bluestein Blvd., blocking a turn lane.
A press release Monday from APD provided details of how officers caught Hernandez. APD responded to a report of a carjacking in the 2300 block of S. Pleasant Valley Road at 9:48 p.m., and then found Hernandez in the stolen car in the 7700 block of Ed Bluestein Blvd. about 10 minutes later where a SWAT team took him in custody.
This death is Austin's 45th homicide of the year, APD said.
Anyone with video or knowledge of the incident should call APD's homicide division at 512-974-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477. People can remain anonymous when providing tips.