Man Tries to Run Over Home Owner in Machete-Fueled Altercation

LUBBOCK, TX — A man was arrested on February 21 after a heated argument outside a home turned violent as he allegedly attempted to run over the property owner with his vehicle twice while the property owner swung a machete at his car.

According to court documents, Lubbock Police responded to a disturbance at the 2900 block of 2nd Place. When authorities arrived, they saw a car with broken windows in the driveway. The driver, Eric Evans, 39, called 911 and told police that someone who lived there had invited him to the house.

Evans told officers the situation went wrong when a resident at the house ran at him with a machete. Evans said he did not fear for his life but tried to leave the house and went back to his car. He also claimed that the man hit his car with the machete and broke the windshield and a side window before he was able to drive away.

The man who came out with the machete, later identified as the property owner, told police he had been asleep when he heard yelling outside in his front yard. When he went outside to check, he saw Evans and his nephew arguing.

The property owner claimed he did not know Evans but witnessed him threaten his nephew and noticed he had a knife. In an attempt to protect his nephew, the property owner grabbed a machete from inside the house, went outside, and told Evans to leave while brandishing the machete.

According to the property owner, Evans entered in his vehicle and tried to run him over with his car three times. He told police he was afraid for his life and swung the machete at the moving vehicle, breaking a window.

Police questioned Evans again and denied attempting to run over the property owner. He said the property owner hit his car first and that he was trying to drive away from the situation.

Officers spoke to a neighbor who showed them video footage from a “Ring” camera. Court documents stated that the footage showed Evans speeding toward the property owner, who was standing in the driveway at a reasonable distance from the car. As Evans drove past, the property owner hit the vehicle with a machete. Evans then drove through the front yard and left the scene but returned a few moments later and sped toward the property owner again. The video showed Evans trying to run the property owner over at least twice.

Court reports state that the property owner’s nephew left the scene before authorities arrived, and his relationship with Evans is unknown.

Based on the video footage and witness statements, police determined that Evans had used his car as a weapon and tried to harm the property owner on purpose.

Eric Evans was arrested and taken to the Lubbock County Detention Center. He is currently held on a $15,000 bond for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Evans also has an outstanding warrant for Assault on a Public Servant with an additional $15,000 bond. The details of that case are not listed in the court documents.