A Weslaco mother and her two daughters landed in jail Saturday. Police say they attacked a Harlingen officer during a traffic stop. The fight broke out in a Walmart parking lot after a simple stop for a lane change.
The case shows how fast a routine stop can turn into a fight with police, officers say. All three women were still locked up in the Cameron County jail as of Monday.
Harlingen police pulled over a car for failing to signal a lane change. The driver stopped in the Walmart parking lot at 1801 W. Lincoln Ave. Lily Mata, 59, of Weslaco, was behind the wheel.
Officers checked Mata's license and found problems. Her license was not valid. She had no insurance. She also had active warrants out of municipal court. Those are open cases from city court that were never cleared up.
Police gave Mata tickets for the traffic violations. Then they placed her under arrest. She was charged with driving while license invalid without financial responsibility. That means she was driving without a valid license and without insurance. Her bond was set at $2,500. A bond is money a person pays to get out of jail. The case still moves through court after that.
Weslaco and Harlingen sit close together in the Rio Grande Valley. Many families drive between the two cities every day. A stop for something as small as a lane change is common on local roads.
Mata's two daughters were riding in the car with her. The officer tried to put Mata into the patrol car. Police say 17-year-old Gianna Salinas grabbed the officer by the hair at that moment. Gianna then pulled the officer backward. A physical struggle broke out between Gianna and the officer.
Police say Gianna's older sister then joined the struggle. Officers say 18-year-old Laila Salinas reached toward the officer's duty belt. That is the belt that holds an officer's gun, handcuffs, and other tools. Police say Laila grabbed at the belt during the fight.
More Harlingen officers rushed to the scene to help. Together, they worked to take both Gianna and Laila into custody.
Gianna Salinas now faces three charges. She is charged with interfering with public duties, which means getting in the way of an officer doing their job. She is also charged with resisting arrest and assault on a peace officer. Her bonds add up to $50,000.
Laila Salinas faces two charges. She is charged with interfering with public duties and with attempting to take a weapon from an officer. Her bonds add up to $25,000. Attempting to take a weapon from an officer is a serious charge. It can put an officer's safety at risk.
Combined, the bonds set for Gianna and Laila Salinas total $75,000. That is money the family must pay to get the two young women out of jail. Their cases still move forward in court.
In a news release, the Harlingen Police Department issued a warning to the public. "The Harlingen Police Department reminds the public that interfering with an officer who is carrying out their lawful duties can quickly escalate a situation and result in serious criminal charges."
Traffic stops are some of the most common calls police handle. Most end with a ticket and nothing more. Police say this stop turned into something much bigger once family members got involved while an arrest was underway.
Cases like this are a reminder for South Texas families. Stepping in during a police arrest can lead to new criminal charges. That is true even for someone trying to help a loved one.
As of Monday, Lily Mata, Gianna Salinas, and Laila Salinas all remained inside the Cameron County jail. Court dates for the three women have not been made public. It is not yet clear when any of them will appear before a judge.
