ROCK SPRINGS – A Rock Springs man is being held at the Sweetwater County Detention Center on a $100,000 cash or surety bond following an incident where he allegedly drove his car into an Rock Spring Springs Police vehicle and disabled it.
Randy J. Mondragon, 29, had his initial appearance in circuit court Wednesday afternoon, appearing on a felony charge of aggravated assault and battery and 14 misdemeanor charges filed after his arrest Sept. 17. The aggravated assault charge carries a possible penalty of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. He was also charged with driving while under the influence, third offense in 10 years, which carries a jail sentence of not less than 30 days and up to six months in jail as well as a fine not less than $750 and not more than $3,000, as well as an open container violation.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 25 at 10 a.m.
According to court documents, the RSPD responded to a hit-and-run report made outside of the Bareback Saloon in Rock Springs where a white Subaru Impreza with Wyoming registration collided with a parked car and claimed the driver appeared drunk and had stopped nearby on Elias Avenue. Sgt. Michael Nielson of the RSPD found the Subaru parked on the street with the driver’s side door open and exited his vehicle to approach on foot. The driver’s door shut and the vehicle began to drive towards Nielson as he made verbal and nonverbal orders to stop the vehicle.
An alleged chase began between the vehicle and RSPD officers, leading from Elias Avenue to Grant Street, and onto North Front Street. A traffic stop was attempted on M Street, though the vehicle allegedly continued to flee, driving into the neighborhood near Rock Springs High School and circled the area. At one point, the Subaru allegedly accelerated from Dickson Street onto Collins Street and struck the front driver’s side bumper of Nielson’s patrol vehicle, disabling it. The alleged act serves as the basis for Mondragon’s felony charge.
The pursuit continued with Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisting the RSPD. Deputies pursued the vehicle until it crashed near the intersection of D Street and Gobel Street, where Mondragon was arrested.
An open and nearly empty pint bottle of Fireball whiskey was allegedly found on the floorboard directly under the driver seat of the Subaru. Mondragon was taken to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County for medical clearance and a blood draw, then was transported to the detention center. A preliminary breath test on Mondragon issued at the detention center allegedly showed a .287 result.
