Video from an officer’s dashboard camera reveals the moment two men were arrested after police found them driving a backhoe down 114th Street.
Police arrested Aaron Brandon Luna and Jared Douglas Shelton, both Lubbock residents, in the early morning hours of May 22.
In the video, Luna could be heard telling the officer that he worked as an employee for the City of Lubbock, and that he had taken the backhoe to assist getting his truck out of a muddy ditch.
According to the report, Luna told police his car was stuck in the mud near 114th and Milwaukee. Police called Luna’s boss who said he did have access to the backhoe for work but not for personal use at 2:00 a.m.
Records from the city’s Human Resource Department indicated Luna was listed as a maintenance worker for the city, and began his employment on January 6, 2014.
A police report said, “[Luna] opened the door to the backhoe, and I immediately smelled the odor of a consumed alcoholic beverage.”
The officer was heard telling another officer who arrived on scene that Luna did not exhibit intoxication behavior, he was able to perform simple tasks, and complied with officer requests.
Luna was arrested for previous warrants. Shelton was arrested for public intoxication.