McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — McAllen police arrested a man accused of ramming into a vehicle with children inside, documents show.
Steven Ditelli was arrested on one count of deadly conduct, two counts of endangering a child and one count of criminal mischief, according to Hidalgo County Jail records.
At 4:10 p.m. Oct 21, an officer was dispatched to 23000 Daffodil Avenue in reference to a hit and run. Upon arrival, police spoke with a man who said he was involved in a disturbance at the Walmart on Nolana Avenue, a probable cause affidavit stated.
The man said he was stopped at a red light in his Chevrolet Equinox, exiting the Walmart parking lot. Once the light turned green, he began turning eastbound onto Nolana Avenue. The man said as he traveled on Nolana, a white vehicle almost crashed into him several times.
The man said he pulled into the parking lot of a Whataburger on N. 23rd Street and the vehicle parked behind him and blocked him in.
According to the affidavit, the man got down and began arguing with the driver of the vehicle, identified as Ditelli, telling him he had kids with him.
The man told police Ditelli said “I don’t fight, I shoot,” to which he responded “then shoot me —–,” the affidavit states.
The two then left the location, but Ditelli began brake checking him in an attempt to cause an accident, the document alleges. The man told police Ditelli then ran him off the road, turning into a parking lot.
The man exited the vehicle and claims that Ditelli then struck the open driver side door with his front bumper area. After striking the vehicle, Ditelli allegedly made a U-turn and began driving toward the man again.
“[The man] stated [Ditelli] used his vehicle to try and hit him, but he was able to move out of [Ditelli’s] way,” the document states.
The man said his wife and three children were in the vehicle at the time it was struck.
Police spoke with Ditelli who admitted to pulling into the Whataburger parking lot, but said he did it to get the other parties information due to an accident that had occurred previously.
Ditelli added that he saw the driver get out with something black in his hand, and he told police “I was not going to risk it so I gassed it,” the affidavit stated.
Ditelli was taken into custody and booked into the Hidalgo County Jail on Oct. 22. His bond was set at $43,000.
