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David Mota (File photo)
David Arnoldo Mota, a Tri-Community resident, was arrested by Oro Valley Police as a suspect in a homicide on Feb. 28, 2013.
Around 8 p.m., Oro Valley Police responded to a report of shots fired in the vicinity of Oracle Road and First Avenue. At the scene, officers found an adult male suffering from what appeared to be gunshot trauma. First aid was immediately rendered by the officers.
Golder Ranch Fire district arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital. At the hospital the victim identified as Joshua Stephen Switalski, 22 of Pima County, was pronounced dead.
A number of witnesses reported that two vehicles north bound on Oracle Road appeared to be involved in some type of verbal dispute. According to the Oro Valley Police report, “the confrontation involved the male driver of a pick-up truck, and Mr. Switalski who was driving a sedan.” Both drivers had a passenger in their vehicles.
As they continued along Oracle Road, one of the occupants of the pick-up truck displayed a firearm and began shooting at the sedan. Mr. Switalski’s vehicle came to a stop in the emergency lane of Oracle Road near the intersection of First Avenue. The suspect vehicle fled the scene continuing north on Oracle Road. Oro Valley Police Officers located the vehicle as it approached Hawser Road in Catalina. They stopped the vehicle and detained the two suspects. Detectives arrived at the scene to continue their investigation.
Detectives have determined that the driver, 21-year-old David Arnoldo Mota, is believed to have fired at Switalski’s sedan.
David Mota was arrested and is facing one count of first-degree murder and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has been booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Center. The names of the passengers in the vehicles were not released.
Detectives are requesting the assistance of any members of the public who may have witnessed the confrontation or the shooting to please call 911, 88-crime or 229-4900.
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