Man threatens CUC personnel with a gun for flagging him down

A man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly threatening a Commonwealth Utilities Corp. personnel with a gun after he was flagged down and asked to slow down.

Over the weekend, Daniel Aldan Castro was arrested for allegedly threatening CUC personnel Marty Taisacan with a gun after the victim flagged him down for speeding near a CUC worksite.

Castro, 42, is facing charges of assault with a dangerous weapon, use of weapons in furtherance of a crime of violence, firearm owner’s identification card requirement exceptions, and disturbing the peace.

During a bail hearing yesterday, Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph Camacho imposed a $50,000 cash bail on Castro before remanding him back to Department of Corrections’ custody.

Castro was ordered to return to court on May 20 for a preliminary hearing while his arraignment is set for June 3.

According to court documents, at around 9:54am last May 7, Department of Public Safety dispatch received a call from Taisacan who claimed that a man pointed a gun at him by Hong Ye Hardware along Afetnas Road in San Antonio.

At about 10:01am, police officer Edwin Basto arrived and observed CUC vehicles and personnel installing a telephone pole. There, Taisacan approached him and informed Basto that Castro, who was driving a gray truck, had pointed a gun at him earlier that morning.

Taisacan explained that while he and other CUC personnel were working, he saw a gray Toyota Tacoma speeding down a nearby hill in their direction so he flagged the vehicle down.

Castro, who was driving the truck, allegedly stopped and opened his car door before cursing at Taisacan.

Taisacan stated that after, Castro pulled a black handgun on him, pulled the top of the handgun backwards, and hit him on the chin with the front of the handgun.

Taisacan added that he heard a clicking sound when Castro pulled the trigger of the handgun.

At about 10:05am that same morning, police officer Jake Santos arrived at Afetnas and met with CUC personnel Kenneth Fanasog to conduct an interview.

According to Fanasog, he was behind the CUC pickup truck rolling the wire when Fanasog saw Taisacan flag down a gray pick-up truck to slow down heading west along Afetnas Road.

Fanasog heard Taisacan telling the driver of the gray pickup truck to slow down because they were working here when the gray pickup stopped, opened the driver side door, looked back and cursed at Taisacan.

Fanasog told police that he saw Taisacan walk toward the gray pickup truck and knocked on the driver side window. Fanasog noted he was walking behind Taisacan when he saw the driver side window roll down before hearing the sound of a gun being cocked.

Fanasog said he looked and saw a person’s hand sticking out of the driver window holding a black handgun pointing it toward Taisacan’s face.

Fanasog added that he heard a clicking sound coming from the handgun.

After interviewing Fanasog, Santos interviewed Eddie Joe P. Guzman who was in the basket of the CUC bucket truck which was about 30 feet in the air when he saw a gray Tacoma heading west on Afetnas Road.

Guzman stated that Taisacan was shouting at the vehicle to slow down before the driver stopped the vehicle, opened the door and cursed at the victim.

Guzman said he saw Taisacan walk toward the driver side of the car, knock on the window, and told the driver to slow down because they were working.

Guzman said that’s when he saw a person’s arm stick out the driver side window with a black handgun.

Guzman said he saw the front side of the gun hit Taisacan on the chin.

At about 10:56am that morning, officers managed to stop Castro at a Koblerville gas station where he was patted down for any weapons.

Responding officers also got consent to search Castro’s vehicle but no handgun was found.

Shortly after, Taisacan was called to identify Castro and when he did, Castro was arrested and transported to DOC for booking.