Authorities say an Arizona state trooper who was beaten and shot while responding to a traffic collision on Interstate 10 was attacked by a Mexican man who was responsible for the one-vehicle rollover.
Department of Public Safety Director Frank Milstead says Leonard Penuelas-Escobar opened fire on Trooper Edward Andersson early Thursday after the officer had stopped on the interstate and set up flares in a bid to get motorists to slow down.
Milstead says Penuelas-Escobar uttered something unrecognizable in Spanish before shooting Andersson and beating his head on the ground.
A passing motorist stopped, retrieved a handgun from his vehicle and fatally shot Penuelas-Escobar after he refused to stop attacking Andersson.
Andersson has since been released from the hospital.
Penuelas-Escobar's girlfriend, Vanessa Monique Lopez-Ruiz, was killed in the rollover crash.
