Exclusive video shows Grand Prairie Councilman allegedly assaulting 60-year-old real estate broker, leading to arrest
For the first time, we're seeing video that shows a Grand Prairie city councilman allegedly assaulting a real estate broker, which led to his arrest.
CBS News Texas has obtained exclusive video that recorded Michael Del Bosque allegedly punching a 60-year-old man and breaking his phone during what his accuser calls an unprovoked attack.
That accuser is speaking for the first time to CBS News Texas.
"It's a very difficult thing because I have some physical and emotional scars," said David Collantes, the alleged assault victim.
Collantes hasn't been back to the Grand Prairie parking lot where the incident allegedly happened since April.
April is when the 60-year-old Austin real estate broker left the area with bloodied hands after a violent encounter with Grand Prairie City Councilmember Mike Del Bosque.
"He gets in front of me, does not allow me to walk by," said Collantes. "And then, when he's kind of looking at me, I saw in his eyes that he meant to do harm."
Security camera video obtained by CBS News Texas shows Del Bosque approaching Collantes on April 4 outside a medical office building on Carrier Parkway.
It was a building owned by Del Bosque but in the process of being turned over to another owner after a default judgment.
Collantes said the city councilman didn't want him showing the property to a prospective buyer and took it out on him in a violent assault.
"I identified myself as a real estate broker with clients looking at property in the area," said Collantes. "And he said, 'What do you want? My property,' over and over again. And then that's when I kind of started backing up ... And I just was fighting for my life, literally."
The video shows Del Bosque taking Collantes to the ground, eventually smashing the victim's cell phone and trying to grab his wallet.
He was arrested days later and charged with misdemeanor assault and criminal mischief.
"It's a bit shocking that a public figure, someone who people put their trust in, would elect somebody that has, really, a bad temper and cannot control his emotions and uses his authority to abuse his power," Collantes said.
Collantes believes the video proves Del Bosque is unfit to continue serving on the city council while the criminal case is pending.
"I would like to see him get prosecuted," said Collantes. "It has nothing to do with what he is or who he is. But this is all about transparency. I want the public to know that this man is a menace to your society. Grand Prairie does not want to be known as a city where innocent people can come and get accosted by the public officials."
CBS News Texas spoke to Del Bosque by phone and asked him about what is seen on the video.
He declined to comment and said he would have his attorney, Phillip Linder, contact us. Linder sent the following statement on Thursday:
"The video that is shown only shows the after events of the initial confrontation. The initial confrontation starts 20 minutes earlier when the alleged victim, Collantes, enters Del Bosque's private business through a back door and confronts several employees and tries to take pictures and videos inside the business. He refuses to identify himself when asked by the employees. He refuses to leave when asked by employees. He eventually left when the employees threatened to call police, and shortly after, is when the confrontation with Del Bosque happened. When confronted by Del Bosque about who he was and what he was doing in his business, Collantes responded with an expletive."
Del Bosque has served on the city council since 2017.
"I'm concerned about what occurred, but ultimately, it's up to the citizens to decide whether they believe he should continue serving if he chooses to run again," Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen said in a statement to CBS News Texas.
Dallas County DA John Creuzot insists that Del Bosque's position of power will not impact his prosecution, saying in a statement, "This is a pending case, so we cannot comment. However, I can assure you that this office is following the law and this matter is being handled with the same diligence and impartiality as any other case."
Dallas County District Attorney's Office said, "Without the video evidence that Collantes says he obtained from a nearby animal clinic that he believes backs up his account, it's possible, he says, that the councilmember would avoid accountability for the trauma he still struggles with."
"I have some leftover scars," said Collantes. "There's more. But they're on my fingers and they'll never go away. And so, I'm constantly reminded of the attack every day."
