Police: Driver says God told him to crash into another vehicle

Editor’s note: 911 call transcripts and body-cam footage from investigators’ interview with the accused driver were requested from the Maricopa Police Department and added to this story on June 7, 2022.

•  •  •

A man arrested Monday after allegedly using his vehicle to intentionally crash into another on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway was acting on orders from God, he told police.

Joshua D. Montoya, 28, was charged with two counts of aggravated assault in the incident, which left both cars on their sides near White and Parker Road, according to police.

Related: Union Pacific train strikes stuck truck

The victims were a husband and wife, police said.

The collision occurred about 3:30 p.m. when Montoya allegedly ran his vehicle into the couple’s vehicle, according to a probable cause statement. Both vehicles lost control and rolled several times. One of the vehicles struck a power pole and line that collapsed and fell near the vehicles.

Several witnesses told officers they saw Montoya allegedly driving more than 100 mph prior to hitting the second vehicle, police said.

The female victim was taken by ambulance to Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, according to police. MPD did not know the nature and severity of her injuries.

When police interviewed Montoya, he allegedly said God told him to do it, the probable cause statement said.

Montoya was later booked into Pinal County Jail, where he remained Wednesday morning, according to online jail records. He has a preliminary hearing set for May 20.