A Texas juvenile faces multiple state charges related to firearms and human smuggling after leading police and Border Patrol agents on a chase that spanned more than 80 miles. The pursuit ended when the teenage driver crashed his pickup truck loaded with nine illegal immigrants into a concrete barrier.
Border Patrol agents assigned to the Laredo North Station attempted to stop a reportedly stolen Ford pickup truck near Encinal, Texas, late last week. The driver failed to yield to emergency lights and began to flee from the agents, according to information obtained from Laredo Sector Border Patrol officials.
The agents requested assistance from the Cotulla Border Patrol Station, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and other local law enforcement agencies to help stop the fleeing human smuggler. Eventually, a DPS trooper took over the pursuit which continued on Interstate 35 for about 80 additional miles.
Additional DPS troopers came to assist and deployed tire-deflation devices to attempt to stop the fleeing pickup truck, officials reported. The driver of the pickup engaged the deflation devices and lost control of his vehicle. The pursuit came to an abrupt stop when the truck crashed into a concrete barrier.
Agents reported that the driver and nine illegal aliens jumped out of the truck and attempted to flee into the brush. A search of the area brought all of the suspects into custody.
Border Patrol officials identified the driver as a juvenile U.S. citizen. They also identified the nine passengers as illegal immigrants from Mexico (5), Brazil (3), and one from Guatemala.
A search of the stolen Ford F-150 pickup truck revealed a handgun left behind on the front seat, officials stated. The DPS seized the stolen vehicle and the handgun while placing the juvenile under arrest for multiple state felonies. Those charges could include evading arrest, human smuggling resulting in injury, possession of a stolen vehicle, leaving the scene of an accident with injuries, illegal possession of a handgun, and others.
The driver and two of the illegal immigrants sustained injuries in the crash requiring medical attention. An ambulance transported the injured to a San Antonio hospital for evaluation and treatment.
The nine iwill be processed for removal under Laredo Border Patrol Sector guidelines.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for the Breitbart Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX and Facebook.