Most Wanted Ice Cream Truck Driver Arrested
EL PASO, Texas – This is a story every parent should read. It involves the arrest of one of El Paso’s most wanted men. 30-year-old Hector Benavente was pulled over while driving an ice cream truck. After closer examination Sheriff’s deputies discovered he was wanted on charges of indecency with a child. Benavente was working as an ice cream truck delivery man. A job that puts him in close contact with children. ABC-7 wanted to know who regulates ice cream truck vendors?David Sublasky, manager of El Paso’s food inspection program explains their focus: “The requirements are quite simple. We deal with the food. That’s about…the food aspect of it, the general sanitation of the facility, the facilities to maintain product temperature. That’s basically our responsibility, we don’t go beyond that.” Ice cream vendors are independent business owners. So, pretty much… no criminal background checks are made, unless they have a contract with the city. Then, the parks and recreation department will look into the applicants background. Even then it’s hard to tell who’s who. All that’s really needed is a food handler’s card, inspection of equipment and about 150 bucks. And that is why one of the city’s most wanted, 30-year-old Hector Benavente was driving around in a northeast neighborhood when he was arrested.Sublasky says the department gets hundreds of mobile vendor applications a year. Meanwhile, Benavente was booked in the El Paso county jail on a 50-thousand dollar bond.
