HOUSTON — A man has been charged with murder after a Houston father was killed in an apparent road rage shooting on Dec.5.
Court documents say when police got to the scene, a third-party person was performing chest compressions on the shooting victim, Edward Jimenez, 45.
Jimenez was transported and pronounced dead at the hospital.
A witness who performed chest compressions on Jimenez told police the victim drove into the parking lot of Time Saver Gas & Grocery on Almeda Genoa Road near the Gulf Freeway at a "high rate of speed" before walking in and telling the clerk he had been shot.
Jimenez stumbled back outside and collapsed, according to court documents. The witness recalled seeing a trail of blood inside and outside the store.
Court documents say three bulletholes were found on Jimenez's truck. One was at the bottom right corner of the driver-side window, a second bullet strike was found a few feet below the driver's door handle and a third bullet strike was found on the driver-side stepping guard rail.
There was no weapon found inside Jimenez's truck.
Investigators looked through the victim's phone and found a photo had been taken about one minute before the shooting occurred. The photo showed Jimenez driving northbound on the Gulf Freeway toward the Beltway.
According to court documents, the photo was of another vehicle in the lane next to Jimenez. The vehicle had a Lyft/Uber sticker in the top right interior of the rear window. The license plate was also observed in the photo.
The vehicle's registration matched up with Armando Ruiz Diaz, 47. Ruiz Diaz appeared in probable cause court on Sunday, where a judge set his bond at $500,000. Should he make bond, the judge forbade Ruiz Diaz from driving until he receives permission from the trial court.
The judge said police noted that the vehicle Ruiz Diaz was driving had been involved in two other reported road rage incidents.
Jimenez's cause of death was determined to be a gunshot wound to the left shoulder that entered his neck, hitting his carotid artery.
Court documents say that Ruiz Diaz told police Jimenez crossed multiple lines of traffic and cut his vehicle off. Ruiz Diaz said he responded by throwing a water bottle at the driver-side door of Jimenez's truck.
Ruiz Diaz said once again, Jimenez cut him off and he moved lanes and continued north with Jimenez following behind him.
According to court documents, Ruiz Diaz told investigators he recalled hearing what he believed was a gunshot and saw the truck turn away.
Several witnesses from nearby businesses and residences told police they recalled hearing several gunshots at the time and location mentioned by Ruiz Diaz.
Investigators reviewed surveillance footage from the Bayway Lincoln dealership just off the Gulf Freeway, which showed Jimenez's truck exit the Gulf Freeway at the Almeda Genoa exit ramp.
Court documents say when investigators entered Ruiz Diaz's home, he directed them to a rear bedroom closet where a firearm was found in a safe. The gun was disassembled and immersed in an apparent gun-cleaning solution.
KHOU 11 News spoke with Leila Jimenez, the victim's daughter following the arrest.
"If he didn't take that picture, it's probably probably would have never found this person," she said.
She described the moment detectives called her mom to tell her a suspect was arrested.
"His words were 'Your husband's killer has been found and he has been detained and in custody.' So hearing that our hearts kind of just dropped," she said.
Family wants Jimenez to be remembered as a loving husband, father and friend.
"He had a really big heart and was hard working and he was very devoted to his family. Yesterday was my dad's service and there were so many people. There are people I've never even met before that knew my dad and it's just good feeling all of that support from everybody," Leila said.
Now, they're hoping justice is served.
"He can finally rest peacefully. Now, knowing that the person that did this to him is behind bars," Leila's fiance, Aramis Lugo, said.
"This happened right before Christmas. You know, it's it's the holidays are never going to be the same," Leila said.