Arrest report: Man who stopped freeway traffic for proposal gave officer the middle finger

Vidal Valladares' mugshot in connection with his obstruction of roadway charge after her blocked traffic on I-45 on Sunday to propose to his girlfriend. Vidal Valladares' mugshot in connection with his obstruction of roadway charge after her blocked traffic on I-45 on Sunday to propose to his girlfriend. Image 1 of / 9 Caption Close Arrest report: Man who stopped freeway traffic for proposal gave officer the middle finger 1 / 9 Back to Gallery

Police say the man who delivered probably the most controversial marriage proposal in the city's history also gave an off-duty police officer the middle finger for honking when driving past them.

In a video posted on Instagram, Vidal Valladares enlisted his friends to stand in front of several lanes of traffic on Sunday while he proposed to his girlfriend, Michelle Wycoff in the middle of busy I-45 traffic near downtown Houston.

On Tuesday, the Harris County District Attorney's Office charged Valladares with obstruction of a roadway, a Class B misdemeanor.

Valladares turned himself in to authorities on Wednesday and posted a $500 bond. His attorney, Mark Thering, told the Houston Chronicle that his client didn't set out to hurt anyone.

"Mr. Valladares' intentions were purely romantic. The spot where he proposed had significant meaning to his fiancee," Thering said. "This was not done to grab personal attention, but done merely as a romantic gesture. It is unfortunate that criminal charges were filed."

If convicted, Valladares could face up to six months in jail or a $2,000 fine.

"We are prepared to address the criminal charges in court," Thering said. "Both Mr. Valladares and his fiancee wish they can put this behind them and look forward to enjoying their engagement."

A sea of headlights and blaring horns waited behind the couple as they embraced in the middle of the freeway on Sunday. In the video, a blue Toyota Tacoma drives around the two on the left shoulder. The person driving was Sgt. B.K. Kessler, of the Houston Police Department, who was off duty at the time.

"After the cars stopped, Sgt. Kessler stated that people started getting out of their cars and running past the stopped cars and using cell phones to record whatever was happening," the report states. Kessler thought it may have been a road rage incident so he drove on the shoulder to get past the other vehicles.

"Once past the other vehicles, Sgt. Kessler saw that the male defendant was down on a knee and then stood up and the defendant and Wycoff began hugging," according to the report.

When Kessler drove by the couple, officials say, Villadaras gave him a not-so-polite send-off.

"Sgt. Kessler used his horn to make sure that the Defendant did not move back into the lane he was driving in and the defendant acknowledged Sgt. Kessler by waving his middle finger at the Sergeant," the report states.

Both state and local authorities agreed that the proposal was dangerous and could have turned ugly.

"I just wanted to do something different," Valladares told the Houston Chronicle on Monday night. "I never really thought about causing an accident. I thought about my girlfriend."

Valladares told his girlfriend they were going to a party and needed to take I-45 to get there. The freeway is one of Wycoff's favorite spots since Valladares took her on a motorcycle ride on the freeway on their second date.

Then Valladares told Wycoff, his girlfriend of a year and half, to get out of the car.

"Honestly, I didn't think about if it was a good idea or a bad idea," Wycoff, 23, said on Monday. "I was just so happy in the moment. I love him so much."

Valladares said his friends and family, who were following closely behind, stopped traffic for about 35 seconds while he popped the question.

He later posted a photo of the proposal to Instagram with the caption, "When you shut down one of the biggest and busiest freeways in the entire country (I45) and you ask your girl if she wants to marry u, That moment is priceless love u #shesaidyes."