After receiving intelligence concerning a convoy of six suspicious vehicles spotted near the Mexican border, Kerr County Sheriff’s Office (KSCO) Special Investigators prepared to intercept the vehicles suspecting they might be involved in a migrant smuggling operation. Four of the suspected vehicles were later found and a 40-mile pursuit reaching speeds in excess of 125 miles per hour ensued.
On Tuesday, the incident began when the KCSO Special Investigations Unit (SIU) gained information about a convoy of six vehicles which were spotted near the border of Mexico more than 100 miles away. The vehicles, according to their intelligence, were believed to be working in concert trafficking migrants from the Mexico border, north into the Hill Country of Texas.
Later in the day, four of the suspect vehicles were intercepted by a KCSO investigator on Interstate 10 west of Kerrville traveling east. As several of the occupants within the vehicles noticed the unmarked law enforcement vehicle nearby, they began making obscene gestures. The suspect vehicles also began to maneuver to slow efforts to intervene by using aggressive boxing-in tactics.
Additional KCSO sheriff deputies joined to assist the lone investigator. The high-speed pursuit commenced when authorities attempted to initiate a traffic stop. According to authorities, the vehicles fled at speeds in excess of 125 miles per hour. At one point,one of the suspect vehicles attempted to force a special investigator off the highway.
Near Comfort, Texas, one of the suspect vehicles was abandoned after it exited the freeway. Law enforcement officers from neighboring jurisdictions joined in to assist KCSO with the pursuit and ultimately, two vehicles were stopped near Boerne. The pursuit covered more than 40 miles.
The drivers of the two vehicles stopped in Boerne were identified as Emmanuel Dominguez Marrero, 27, and Homero Castro Jr, 20. One passenger was identified as Luis Silvapardo, 22. Silvapardo was found to be in possession of less than 1g of cocaine.
Marrero and Castro were each charged with one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and one count of Human Smuggling. Silvapardo was charged with one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance less than one gram, and one count of Human Smuggling.
“This convoy of vehicles engaged in human smuggling activities is a new level of aggression from those breaking our immigration laws,” said Sheriff Larry Leitha about the pursuit. “This pursuit not only put our investigators and patrol deputies at high risk, but all drivers in that area of I-10. This chase covered nearly 40 miles of interstate at speeds that would likely have been fatal had a driver lost control,” he added.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
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