Machete-Wielding Suspect Arrested by Prince William County Police

A man is accused of pulling out a machete and threatening two people who confronted him about a minor car crash Sunday, according to Prince William County Police spokesperson Jonathan Perok.

Elmer Ernesto Espinoza Escobar, 39, of 8010 McLean St., is charged with
attempted malicious wounding, brandishing a machete, hit and run and making threatening phone calls.

Police were called regarding an assault at 5:31 p.m. Sunday near the 7400 block of Lake Drive in the Manassas area of Prince William County.

There, two men a 32-year-old and a 48-year-old, told police that the suspect who they both knew, crashed into their mailbox with his car.

When they confronted him about the incident, they told police he became angry, went and got a machete and began swinging it at the victims and several other witnesses, before getting in his car and leaving, police said.

One of the victims also told police the suspect had made threatening phone calls to him the day before the alleged assault.

Police went to the suspect's residence and arrested him without incident.

Escobar remains in custody at the adult detention center without bond.