An El Paso man was accused and arrested in a wild gun escapade within the Airway Boulevard space the place he allegedly threatened individuals and fired gunshots into the air earlier than crashing his automobile.
El Paso police arrested John Glen Coates, 43, in an incident on Friday afternoon that started within the Craw Oyster Bar at Airway Plaza and resulted in a wreck two miles away on the intersection of Montana Avenue and Hawkins Boulevard, a prosecutor famous at a bond listening to.
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Coates, of the far East Side, was booked on expenses of aggravated assault with a lethal weapon, discharge of a firearm, illegal carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place, and making a terroristic risk.
John Glen Coates was arrested by El Paso police for allegedly threatening individuals with a handgun and firing gunshots within the Airway Boulevard space of East-Central El Paso on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024.
Coates is retired from the U.S. Army, the place he served 24 years, and offers with PTSD and different psychological well being points, Edward Hernandez, a deputy public protection legal professional, famous at a Sunday teleconference bond listening to whereas asking for a decrease bond quantity.
“It’s not alleged he actually harmed anybody,” Hernandez mentioned. “He does suffer mental health issues that (are) based on his long-term military service during 20 years of American wars.”
During the listening to, Assistant District Attorney John Briggs commented that Coates may face extra assault expenses in publicly harmful acts that had 911 calls coming in from not less than 5 completely different places.
Gun risk allegedly made in El Paso bar
The hassle began Friday afternoon, Nov. 8, contained in the Craw Oyster Bar at 1160 Airway Blvd. within the Airway Plaza space of bars and eating places in East-Central El Paso, Briggs mentioned.
According to a case abstract given by Briggs on the listening to, a ruckus began when Coates made a remark about the way in which somebody was dressed and “causes a bit of a commotion” contained in the Craw Oyster Bar.
During the argument, Coates allegedly grabbed at his waist telling folks that he had a gun. It is in opposition to the regulation in Texas to hold a gun in a bar.
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When the bartender instructed Coates that he wants to go away, “he tells her she will be the next person to have her brains blown out,” Briggs mentioned, including that the bartender was positioned in worry after she apparently noticed the gun tucked into his waistband. The bar supervisor and different prospects escorted Coates out of the bar and referred to as 911.
Right afterward, there was one other 911 name a couple of man with a gun matching Coates’ description arguing with a lady subsequent to the Ojos Locos Sports Cantina close by in the identical plaza.
Gunshots exterior Jack within the Box
Those emergency calls have been then adopted by 911 calls about an individual firing a gun up within the air out of a black Jeep Gladiator within the car parking zone of the Jack within the Box restaurant at Airway Boulevard and Montana Avenue, Briggs famous. Police discovered 5 bullet casings within the car parking zone.
A lady then referred to as 911 to report that she was driving within the Montana Avenue and Boeing Drive space when she was virtually hit by a Jeep that ran a purple mild. The lady honked on the different driver, who then allegedly pulled out a gun and pointed it at her, so she backed off, Briggs mentioned.
Crash at Montana Avenue and Hawkins Boulevard
The Jeep continued eastbound earlier than allegedly working a purple mild and colliding with one other automotive on the intersection of Montana Avenue and Hawkins Boulevard. The Jeep turned disabled within the wreck, Briggs mentioned.
Responding to the emergency calls, police first went to the accident scene, the place officers discovered the crashed Jeep and arrested Coates.
A lady passenger who was with Coates was discovered by police within the Circle Okay retailer at that intersection, Briggs mentioned. The lady instructed officers that she had been within the accident and that there had been a gun concerned. A silver 1911-style handgun was present in her backpack, Briggs mentioned.
Magistrate choose lowers bond quantity
Coates was initially jailed on a complete bond of $125,000 which at Sunday’s listening to was lowered by Magistrate Judge Antonio Aun to $97,500, together with $55,000 underneath a private recognizance that does not require cash.
The choose ordered a number of launch provisions, together with barring Coates from utilizing medicine and alcohol, requiring random drug testing, prohibiting him from possessing any weapons, firearms or ammunition and banning him from coming inside 200 yards of the Craw Oyster Bar.
El Paso County Jail information present Coates was launched on bond on Sunday.
Airway Plaza is identical location the place two individuals have been killed and 4 others have been wounded allegedly by two Fort Bliss troopers who fired right into a crowd exterior a bar final yr. The capital homicide case is presently scheduled to go to trial in February.
An El Paso police patrol automotive at against the law scene in El Paso, Texas. File artwork.
This article initially appeared on El Paso Times: El Paso man arrested in taking pictures, gun threats in Airway space
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