VAL VERDE COUNTY, Texas – A suspected human smuggler led a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper on a chase that ended in a crash in Val Verde County.
According to Lt. Chris Olivarez, a DPS spokesman for the South Texas region, the pursuit happened Sunday on US Highway 277 in Val Verde County.
The chase, which was captured on a DPS dash camera, showed a pickup speeding on the highway at night when it suddenly turned into a dirt road.
Moments later, the driver rammed a ranch fence and bailed out of the pickup along with 14 immigrants, Olivarez said.
The driver was arrested and charged with human smuggling and evading arrest.
There was no word on the status of the immigrants.