Two Arrested After East Texas Drive-By

NACOGDOCHES — Two Lufkin men are now behind bars in Nacogdoches after deputies conducted a 6 hours manhunt for the two men. According to KETK, a call came in at 9:00 Tuesday night regarding a drive-by shooting at Hills drive-thru on Highway 59 South n Nacogdoches County. Two Hispanic males reportedly shot at a man and woman who were outside the store in the process of closing the business. Both suspects fled the scene on Highway 59 in a black Honda.

Deputies were called to the area and found that the suspects had crashed on Farm to Market Road 2782 and Farm to Market Road 225. Both men had fled the scene on foot. Deputies with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office conducted a manhunt for the men. Around 2:50 a.m., both men were found hiding in a pasture in the 6500 block of County Road 724. Authorities arrested Mario Ortega, 22, and Orlando Melendez, 24, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. Melendez was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.