A Texas trooper tried to stop a car on Mines Road in Laredo. The driver would not stop. Now he faces smuggling charges.
The chase started around 1 p.m. on Sept. 10. A trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, or DPS, tried to stop an orange 2020 Nissan Sentra. This happened in the Mines Road area, DPS said.
The driver kept going. He did not pull over. The car stopped more than once. Each time, people got out of the car, DPS said.
The car finally stopped at an apartment complex. It is near Quail Creek Road. The driver got out and ran, DPS said.
Border Patrol agents helped find him. They caught him and took him into custody. DPS named him as Josue Viera. He is 21 years old.
State charges are pending against Viera. He faces three counts of smuggling of persons. That means police say he helped move people through Texas illegally. He also faces a charge for evading arrest with a vehicle. That means he ran from police in his car. DPS says he had less than 2 ounces of marijuana. He also faces a reckless driving charge.
As of Monday afternoon, the state had not filed the charges yet, DPS said. The case must still go through the Webb County court system.
Laredo sits right on the border with Mexico. It is in Webb County. Mines Road runs near ranch land by the Rio Grande.
DPS did not say how many people were in the car with Viera. It also did not say what happened to those who got out.
Smuggling people is a serious crime in Texas. A conviction can mean real prison time. The punishment gets worse when more people are involved. It also gets worse when a chase puts lives at risk.
DPS has not said if Viera has a lawyer. It is not yet clear when he goes to court.
Everyone is presumed innocent until proved otherwise.
