Jennie Taer
A harrowing vehicle pursuit in Texas of a U.S. citizen who was allegedly attempting to smuggle 62 illegal immigrants ended Friday after authorities opened fire on the suspect, the Daily Caller News Foundation has learned.
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) confirmed to the DCNF that on Friday a large Kenworth truck tractor towing a tanker trailer dodged a Border Patrol checkpoint in Webb County in southern Texas.
Border Patrol chased the truck, but the driver refused to yield, DPS said. Texas state troopers took over the pursuit, which led them to the city of Cotulla, Texas. The truck driver had struck law enforcement vehicles, sideswiped a La Salle County patrol unit, which led a Sheriff’s deputy and DPS Troopers to fire several rounds into the truck cab.
The driver sustained several gunshot wounds and was transported to the hospital.
DPS said that the truck driver is a U.S. citizen with a criminal background that includes human smuggling. After the incident, officials found that the driver had 62 illegal immigrants in the tanker of his truck, which were all referred to Border Patrol, according to DPS.
“There is an investigation being conducted by the Texas Rangers,” DPS said in a statement to the DCNF. “As this is an active and ongoing case, no additional information is available at this time.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in early 2021 to combat the smuggling of illicit drugs and humans across the border into the state. The operation involved Abbott deploying additional DPS and National Guard personnel to the border.
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