Shepherd man charged with aggravated assault after hitting man with his vehicle

HOUSTON - A Shepherd man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting a couple who were working on their vehicle on the side of the road.

Juan Rodriguez has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office.

Aggravated assault in Shepherd

The backstory:

On Friday, deputies were called about a disturbance involving a man, now identified as Rodriguez, near Red Road and Higwhay 59 in Shepherd.

An investigation revealed Rodriguez had encountered a couple before he was found by deputies.

Officials say a couple had pulled their vehicle onto the side of the road to deal with mechanical issues. While they were working on their vehicle, Rodriguez allegedly pulled up in a white van to ask if they had cigarettes.

Juan Rodriguez mugshot

The victims claim when they told Rodriguez they didn't have any cigarettes, he became aggressive and said he would kill them. Rodriguez is accused of reversing his van, and then speeding towards the couple. He hit the man, knocking him into a nearby ditch. 

Officials say the victim was taken to the hospital with a fractured arm.

Deputies arrived at the scene and took Rodriguez into custody. He was taken to a nearby hospital after deputies determined he was under the influence of narcotics.

After being cleared by the hospital, he was taken to the San Jacinto County Jail.

What you can do:

If you have any information regarding any criminal activity, please contact the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office at 936-653-4367 or to remain anonymous and be eligible for a potential reward, contact Multi-County Crime Stoppers at 800-392-7867, use the free P3TIPS mobile app, or submit a tip online at