Edinburg man sent to prison for robbery, attack on 78-year-old

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — An Edinburg resident was sentenced to prison for brutally attacking a 78-year-old man while evading police.

A jury found Luis Gerardo Lugo Pena, 28, guilty of aggravated robbery, Hidalgo County District Attorney Terry Palacios announced.

The aggravated robbery happened at approximately 10 a.m., September 29, 2023.

Pena and his brother-in-law were escaping from law enforcement for crimes committed earlier in the day when their vehicle experienced a flat tire.

In an effort to escape police and avoid arrest, Pena and his brother-in-law targeted and brutally attacked 78-year-old Miguel Martinez Aguirre and robbed him of his vehicle.

According to the Hidalgo County DA, Aguirre was immediately transported to McAllen Medical Center following the attack.

Aguirre was diagnosed with severe trauma to his head and face.

Pena was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the jury. No details were made on Pena's brother-in-law.

The Hidalgo County District Attorney's Office did not provide an update on Aguirre's condition.