Man fatally stabbed after objecting to Spanish

A Houston man fatally stabbed another man who objected to him speaking Spanish, authorities said.

Aundra B. Jackson, 41, has been charged with murder in the June 15 stabbing death of Ernest Salazar outside a northeast Houston residence, court records show.

A witness told police the men were drinking and smoking marijuana outside a home on Peyton when a dispute erupted over the language being spoken, according to an arrest warrant filed in the case.

Jackson began speaking Spanish and Salazar "got irritated," the court document states. Salazar said he didn't know Spanish and that Jackson "didn't have to speak Spanish to him just because he was a Mexican," the court document states.

The two approached each other and a witness stepped in to prevent a fight, investigators said. Over the next 25 minutes, the men exchanged words "back and forth."

A witness told police Jackson placed a "blunt" - a marijuana-filled cigar - and a lighter atop the hood of the car and walked to the passenger side, when Salazar grabbed the blunt and lighter.

Police said the two again squared off and Jackson reportedly "swung his arm at (Salazar's) neck and hit him." The injured man fell to the ground.

A witness ran inside the home to call 911, and when he returned "he saw (Salazar) was bleeding from his neck and was saying that he couldn't feel his arms," the arrest warrant states. Jackson fled.

Later questioned by police, Jackson said that Salazar had grabbed his blunt and lighter and taunted him.

Jackson told police he swung the knife when Salazar "started walking towards him."

Jackson told police that he fled because he has a criminal record, and threw the knife out his car as he was driving, the arrest warrant states.

Salazar was rushed to Ben Taub Hospital, where he died the following day from a severed left jugular, according to court documents.

robert.stanton@chron.com