Texas Man Arrested After Holding Driver Hostage Over Dog’s Death

In a shocking incident in Mineola, Texas, a man named Alberto Joshua Hernandez, 22, allegedly took drastic measures after his pet dog was fatally struck by a vehicle. Reports indicate that he held the driver at gunpoint, forcing him to dig a grave for the dog.

The alarming events unfolded on September 8, when Hernandez saw a driver fixing his vehicle after the accident. Police reports reveal that Hernandez, enraged over the loss of his pet, confronted the driver by stopping his truck right behind him and producing an automatic pistol.

“I should shoot you now for it,” is reportedly what Hernandez told the driver, who felt “scared to death” throughout the ordeal. Under threat, the victim was compelled to retrieve the dog’s body from a nearby ditch and carry it to Hernandez’s yard.

After the dog was buried, Hernandez reportedly returned with an AR-style rifle armed with two magazines. He directed the victim to drive him to an ATM to withdraw $200 as compensation for the dog’s life, all while keeping the firearm aimed at him.

The victim, terrified for his safety, complied, withdrawing the money and handing it over to Hernandez during the ATM transaction. Surveillance footage from the ATM has corroborated the victim’s account of the events.

Following the incident, the victim was able to identify Hernandez in a police lineup on September 19. Additionally, the driver’s mother provided testimony indicating that she had seen Hernandez with the rifle on the day of the events.

Hernandez was apprehended by law enforcement on a Thursday following the incident and is facing serious charges including aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping, alongside drug-related offenses. He is currently held at the Wood County Jail, with his bail set at $660,000.