UPDATE: Tuesday, Oct. 13:
APACHE JUNCTION -- The Pinal County Sheriff's Office has also requested aggravated assault charges against Robert Eck III, the passenger in Vice Mayor R.E. Eck's vehicle, for his attempt to strike Eric Martinez with a pipe.
The charges have been forwarded to the Pinal County Attorney's Office.
UPDATE -- Tuesday, Oct. 6:
APACHE JUNCTION -- Apache Junction's vice mayor could be facing charges after a road-rage incident last week.
The investigation revealed the vehicle Vice Mayor R.E. Eck was operating struck the rear of Eric Martinez's motorcycle while it was stopped at a red light on Old West Highway and Idaho Road.
According to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, Martinez got off his motorcycle and was confronted by the passenger of Eck's vehicle, later identified as Robert Eck III, who attempted to hit Martinez with a pipe. After disarming the passenger and punching him in the face, Martinez confronted the vice mayor, who had apparently threatened to run over the motorcycle with Martinez's wife still on board.
Following the threat, Martinez reportedly punched Eck in the face. Lt. Tamatha Villar said Eck responded by accelerating and ramming the motorcycle, causing Martinez's wife to be knocked off of it and onto the roadway, sustaining minor injuries.
Martinez's wife and the vice mayor were transported to a hospital for minor injuries. Both were released the evening of the incident.
Martinez was charged with two counts of misdemeanor assault and will appear in the Apache Junction Justice Court at a later date.
Investigators have requested aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges be filed against Eck for his involvement in the incident.
Blood was drawn from Eck and has been sent to the DPS Crime Lab for processing. Investigators will determine if additional charges need to be filed once the results of the blood tests are received.
ORIGINAL STORY:
APACHE JUNCTION -- Apache Junction's vice mayor was hospitalized after a road rage incident on Friday.
According to the Pinal County Sheriff's Office, Vice Mayor R.E. Eck was injured in a two-vehicle accident at Old West Highway and Idaho Road in Apache Junction.
Lt. Tamatha Villar said the accident was the apparent result of an earlier incident of road rage between Eck and the driver of a motorcycle that Eck's vehicle struck from behind.
Villar said the passenger on the motorcycle was knocked off onto the roadway. Following the collision, the driver of the motorcycle, Eric Martinez, apparently assaulted Eck.
Eck and the motorcycle passenger were airlifted to a local hospital. Their conditions are unknown at this time.
Villar said no arrests have been made and no citations have been issued so far.
The investigation is ongoing.
