San Elizario Man Charged In Fatal Collision

El Paso Police have charged 21-year-old Alejandro Salcedo of San Elizario with accident involving personal injury or death as a result of the traffic collision in which Manuel Mendoza died on May 23.

Investigators have located and identified the1994 red Dodge Ram pickup operated by Salcedo that was involved in the collision. Salcedo fled the scene immediately following the collision and did not return, according to police. He has been booked into the El Paso County Jail on a bond of $25,000.

Police say that at 2:27 a.m. on May 23, Salcedo was involved in a road rage incident stemming from an altercation at a night club. According to police, Mendoza’s 2003 Chevrolet Silverado is believed to be following at white truck and Salcedo’s red truck from the night club.

The vehicles proceeded west on Gateway West and at some point around Airways Blvd. turned and headed east on Gateway East. The white Ford pickup disengaged from the incident by getting on the I-10 as Salcedo and Mendoza continued to engage each other. Further investigation revealed that Mendoza and the red truck drove onto sidewalks and around vehicles stopped at the traffic light at Giles, continued east on Gateway East and collided east of the intersection.Mendoza’s truck flipped over and Mendoza, who was not wearing a seat belt, was partially ejected and died at the scene. The white Ford truck is considered a non-contact vehicle

This is the 28th traffic related fatality of 2010 as compared to 25 at this time in 2009.