IOWA, La. (KPLC) – A Florida man is now in custody five months after allegedly hitting a man and leaving him bleeding and unconscious in an Iowa parking lot.
Jose Garrandes De La Paz, 25, of Florida.(Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office)
Jose Garrandes De La Paz, 25, faces the following charges in Calcasieu Parish:
Second-degree batteryHit-and-run drivingObstruction of justice
On April 30, deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office learned a man was hospitalized with injuries from an unknown incident, CPSO spokesperson Kayla Vincent said. The man told hospital staff he did not remember how he was hurt.
Authorities learned the man was hit by a truck towing a vehicle hauler in the parking lot of an Iowa business, Vincent said.
CPSO identified Garandes as the truck driver and learned he called 911 after the collision, according to Vincent. Garrandes ended the call after failing to answer the dispatcher’s questions.
Vincent said Iowa police were then dispatched to an emergency hang-up call and found the victim.
According to Vincent, investigators reviewed the business’s surveillance footage and saw Jose help the victim, escort them to their truck, and leave them bleeding and unconscious before Iowa police arrived.
CPSO made multiple attempts to locate and contact Jose, but he would not cooperate with investigators, Vincent said. On Aug. 22, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Jose was later arrested by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office, and on Oct. 10, he was booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Center. His bond is set at $175,000.
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