Mesa police say a group of witnesses helped capture a man who caused several collisions by driving the wrong way and then assaulted the crash victims.
Police report that on June 8 they were called to the area of Country Club Drive and Baseline Road for several collisions caused by a wrong-way driver.
When they arrived at the scene, witnesses directed them to a nearby parking lot where the suspect, 32-year-old Lomadawa Craig Huminimptewa, ran to after the crashes.
Witnesses reportedly told police that Huminimptewa made a wrong-way turn and was traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes of Baseline Road. He soon hit another vehicle head-on. Witnesses say he got out of his car and pounded on the windows of the crash victim. He then allegedly retrieved a crowbar and then smashed the windows of the victim’s car.
Police say Huminimptewa got back into his vehicle and used it to push other cars out of the way and then continued going the wrong way down the road. Police say other vehicles collided with each other while attempting to evade his car.
Police later learned Huminimptewa was involved in several car crashes on the US 60 freeway. DPS says he was connected to a hit and run crash and was believed to be under the influence of alcohol at the time. Huminimptewa was booked for DUI, endangerment and drug charges in the DPS case. We're working to gather addition information on that separate incident.
Huminimptewa has been charged with aggravated assault.
