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DPS: Man still 'person of interest' in shootings

Posted at 6:23 PM, Sep 14, 2015
and last updated 2015-09-14 21:23:49-04

As the Department of Public Safety continues their search for the freeway shooter, 19-year-old Oscar de la Torre Munoz is not off the hook.

DPS would not comment on whether or not they were running ballistic tests on the guns found in his home, but this isn't the first time officials have visited his residence.

LIST: When and where the freeway shootings have occurred

According to court papers, last May de la Torre led DPS on a high speed chase east bound on Interstate 10 in the West Valley.

A DPS officer reported he first spotted a red Ford Mustang driving at 100 mph near State Route 303 and I-10. When he tried to pull the driver over, the driver slowed down to 70 mph then took off, reaching speeds of 140 mph. 

For safety reasons, the officer reported de la Torre slowed down his speed, and the officer was able to run the license plates which registered to an Avondale home where the 19-year-old lives.

INTERACTIVE: Shootings timeline

DPS officers said when they went to the home, de la Torre's father answered the door and told officers his son Oscar was driving the red Ford Mustang.

De la Torre was charged with unlawful flight and later pled guilty to a lesser charge of endangerment.

He was sentenced to probation on Thursday, September 10, less than 24 hours before DPS descended on his home in connection to the freeway shootings.

De la Torre made his first appearance in court on Friday, and while there, only spoke his name and birthday.

He is not currently charged in the shootings, instead he is facing unrelated drug and weapon charges in violation of his probation.

DPS spokesperson Bart Graves told ABC15 de la Torre remains a person of interest in the case and will be in custody until his next court date on Friday.