Wrong man charged in hit and run

Saying the man who claimed he was intentionally run over with a vehicle is ?crazy,? the driver of the vehicle stood up in court and took responsibility for being behind the wheel, telling lawmen they have the wrong man charged.

?He?s crazy,? said Jose Cruz, pointing to accuser Patrick Lynn Cunningham who sat in the courtroom and accused Jamier R. Lopez of being the man who ran him over outside Partridge Meadows Apartments on New Year?s Eve. ?I was driving.?

Cruz?s admission was enough for General Sessions Judge Larry Ross to dismiss the charges Tuesday against Lopez since Cruz admitted to driving the vehicle which hit Cunningham.

The victim said he was waiting for Lopez on the side of the road to speak with him about his (Cunningham?s) wife when he sped up and hit him with the side of his vehicle. While not seeing him behind the wheel at the time, Cunningham said he later saw Lopez driving the vehicle which hit him.

?He gassed the vehicle and struck me,? Cunningham recalled, saying he saw the vehicle circle around minutes later, apparently to see how badly he was hurt.

However, Cruz, who admitted to driving had a much different view of events. Through an interpreter, Cruz said Cunningham jumped in front of the vehicle he was driving and actually tried to punch or hit the vehicle, noting Cunningham was acting ?loco? when he punched at the passing vehicle.

While dismissing the charge, since Lopez was charged and not the man who admitted to driving, Ross said charges could be adopted against Cruz, suggesting the case needs more investigation before it goes forward.