Yuma’s City Administrator faced a judge Monday afternoon. Philip Rodriguez (shown at desk) is accused of causing a traffic crash, then leaving the scene./Credit: KYMA, KECY screengrab
By Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | AzMirror
The charges against Yuma City Administrator Philip Rodriguez stem from a June 3 accident on Interstate 8 outside the city limits. Rodriguez is accused of side-swiping an RV, fleeing the scene and then lying to police when they questioned him, according to an incident report from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
Rodriguez was driving a gray Toyota 4Runner westbound on the highway, according to the police report. The driver of the RV said Rodriguez “started to weave from side to side within” his lane and then “started making hand gestures at” the RV driver.
The RV driver slowed down to let Rodriguez pass, but when he did, the driver told police that Rodriguez also slowed down.
“All of the sudden (Rodriguez) unsafely changed lanes right next to him, sideswiping the left front side fender of his vehicle with the right rear quarter panel,” the report says. After the collision, Rodriguez sped away, the RV driver told state troopers.
