GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Gallatin teenager risked his life to stop a hit-and-run driver suspected of driving under the influence.
Gallatin police said Bryan Mendez, 18, got into the suspect’s Dodge Ram and began punching him in the face.
The entire incident first began near East Camp Trail and Redbud Branch before 8 p.m. on March 2nd.
Mendez was driving with his mother in their neighborhood when Isaias Gonzales, 28, allegedly sideswiped their van, hit it a few times and took off.
Furious that his mother could have been seriously hurt, Mendez said he drove after the truck while honking his horn. The affidavit said that Gonzales “slammed on his brakes which caused him [Mendez] to run into the rear of the Dodge Ram.”
Court documents further stated that Gonzales continued driving and ran over signs and almost hit another vehicle head-on while turning from Red River Road to Highway 109. Mendez said Gonzales slowed down after the near collision and with vehicles in front of him.
The teenager said he got out of his vehicle and ordered Gonzales to get out. When he refused, Mendez jumped into the bed of the truck as Gonzales sped away.
Meanwhile, Gallatin police were nearby and almost had an officer’s patrol car hit. Police began pursuit.
The officer in pursuit of the the truck said in the affidavit that Gonzales even reversed towards him.
Mendez recalled wrapping his hoodie around his wrist and began punching the back window to make some cracks. He said he caused enough damage to slide open the window and put half of his body inside the truck. That is when he punched Gonzales several times to get him to stop.
"My legs are outside his truck dangling all over the place because he's swerving and I'm trying to get the wheel to drive straight because he's trying to shake me off and he's punching me and I'm punching him," Mendez recalled. "It's something out of a movie."
Eventually, he got himself into the passenger seat and pressed the brakes as the two continued to fight.
Mendez said Gonzales eventually got out of the vehicle. The arrest affidavit said Mendez got out and yelled, “He’s drunk...don’t shoot him!”
Due to his condition at the time, Gonzales could not perform a Standardized Field Sobriety test.
He was charged with Evading Arrest in A Motor Vehicle, Resisting Stop, Halt, Fisk, and Arrest, Driving Under the Influence 1st Offense, Driving on a Suspended License, Leaving Scene of an Accident and Violation of Financial Responsibility.
The Mendez family said Gonzales has been detained by immigration officials.
Mendez’ father told NewsChannel 5 that even though what his son did was brave, it was not smart and should not be repeated ever again.
"I'm very proud of him because he's a brave guy but at the same time I was scared and told him not to do that again," Salvador Mendez told NewsChannel 5.
The family has set up a GoFundMe to cover the cost for repairing the damage to his mother’s van.
