911 texts from woman being held in Palestine motel result in 2 arrests

PALESTINE, Texas ( KETK ) — Two people were arrested on Friday in Palestine after reportedly holding a woman against her will at a Palestine motel.

The Palestine Police Department said at around 2:19 a.m. on Friday, officers were dispatched to a motel in Palestine after receiving text messages from their 911 system from a woman claiming she was being held by a man and asked for help.

“The texts indicated that the victim was in the room with the male and a female who were drunk and using methamphetamine. The victim claimed she was being thrown to the bed when she tried to get up to leave and she stated she was scared,” Palestine PD said.

Officers knocked at the door of the motel room and got no answer. Hotel staff told officers that the room was rented by a woman identified as Cesilia Salinas. Salinas was wanted on felony warrants from Smith County and had a bond totaling $500,000.

After multiple failed attempts to contact someone in the room, PPD Emergency Response Team (ERT) was asked to help on the case. ERT breached the door and detained three people. The police department identified them as Salinas, Amado Villanueva Gonzalez and the victim.

The victim said she tried to call 911 but Gonzalez took the phone. When she attempted to leave, he would allegedly stand between her and the door and pushed against her chest in an attempt to push her back.

The victim reportedly said Salinas was flushing methamphetamine while officers were attempting to breach the door. When officers entered the room, they found Salinas hiding in the bathroom.

Gonzales was taken to the Anderson County Jail and booked for interference with emergency request for assistance and unlawful restraint. Salina was booked on the Smith County warrants.

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