BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas — A man accused in a violent crime spree earlier this week is no longer on the run. The Brazoria County Sheriff's Office said Juan Mata, 26, was taken into custody Friday.
Mata, who had been on the run for two days, turned himself in around 4:20 p.m.
Authorities had been searching for him since Wednesday. The manhunt began when investigators said Mata threw a brick through a rideshare driver’s car window and then fired shots at vehicles. Two people were injured in the shooting.
The series of events started in the overnight hours between Tuesday and Wednesday. Investigators said Mata threw a brick through a Lyft driver's window after being dropped off in Rosharon.
Mata then stole a vehicle and followed another driver, according to the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office. That driver’s vehicle was shot at near the Suncreek Estates subdivision, but no one was hurt.
According to the sheriff’s office, Mata fired at a second vehicle, hitting the driver and a passenger inside. Both victims were flown to a hospital with injuries that were serious, but not life-threatening.
"Anytime you have multiple connected crime scenes, it is certainly concerning and it’s something that we take very seriously," Madison Polston, with the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office, said.
According to court records, Matta was convicted after being charged with assaulting a family member. The Brazoria County Sheriff's Department said Matta had four active arrest warrants pending for aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly shooting two women, and criminal mischief for smashing the Lyft driver's window.
Neighbors said they weren't sure what was going on when they heard the shots ring out.
"Sometimes out here in the rural area people just shoot guns for fun. No idea, had no idea it was that serious," said a neighbor who didn't want to be identified. "That’s just crazy. It’s very unfortunate for that to happen especially around this area. It’s pretty peaceful around here."