Two men in a dispute engaged in a vehicle chase from a northeast Salem bar Sunday afternoon that resulted in a ramming and one driver shooting at his pursuer, the Salem Police Department said in a news release Monday, March 6.
Prosecutors charged the driver of the van, 33-year-old Daniel L. Garcia of Salem, Monday in Marion County Circuit Court with attempted second-degree assault and reckless driving. The man accused of shooting at him, Javier Arturo Juarez, 39 of Salem, was charged with possessing a firearm as a felon, court records showed.
The crash and shooting occurred in a parking lot between the North and East Lancaster neighborhoods late Sunday afternoon where several businesses listed open hours at the time. The Salem police provided the following account in its news release of the episode.
Officers were called around 4:45 p.m. to the business complex in the 1900 block of Northeast Lancaster Drive after witnesses reported gunfire and the driver of a van ramming into another car in the parking lot.
The driver of the van ran from the scene.
Police determined a dispute between the two men had occurred minutes earlier at Holland’s Bar, 2155 Silverton Rd. N.E.
Juarez left the bar in his car after an employee “intervened in the verbal altercation,” according to the news release.
Garcia then left the bar, driving away in a van and pursued Juarez south on Lancaster Drive. After Juarez drove his car into the business parking lot, witnesses reported that Garcia rammed Juarez’s car.
“Juarez fired a handgun at the van as Garcia continued to drive his van forward into Juarez’ sedan,” the release said.
An emergency call log showed the shooting occurred near Bella’s Bridal, 1907 Lancaster Dr. N.E. The shop listed open hours at the time of the incident along with several other businesses in the complex, including Mattress Factory Outlet, Your Homestyle Fashion and The Rock Dispensary.
Juarez was arrested in the parking lot. Police found Garcia in the parking lot of Fred Meyer, 3740 Market St. N.E., just south of where the crash occurred.
Court records show Garcia also had two outstanding warrants in Marion County for attempted unlawful delivery of methamphetamine and second-degree criminal mischief. He has criminal convictions dating back to 2009, including unauthorized use of a vehicle, first-degree burglary, unlawful use of a weapon and harassment.
Juarez has convictions dating back to 2003, including unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm, riot and fourth-degree assault.
Contact reporter Ardeshir Tabrizian: [email protected] or 503-929-3053.
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Ardeshir Tabrizian has covered criminal justice and housing for Salem Reporter since September 2021. As an Oregon native, his award-winning watchdog journalism has traversed the state. He has done reporting for The Oregonian, Eugene Weekly and Malheur Enterprise.
