Thread: Border patrol: Man sets own pickup on fire to destroy evidence as law enforcement pur

Border patrol: Man sets own pickup on fire to destroy evidence as law enforcement pursues

Updated 5:59 pm, Friday, February 23, 2018


According to a U.S. Border Patrol news release, a man set his own vehicle on fire, Tuesday Feb. 20, 2018, while trying to evade
agents and Texas Department of Safety troopers.

One man gave a literal definition to the term, "hot pursuit," while being chased by Texas and federal law enforcement last week after blowing off a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint - he took a bunch of cocaine and set his own truck on fire, agents say.

The man is in custody and facing multiple charges after leading border patrol agents and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on a fiery chase Tuesday, in South Texas, according to a news release.

The unidentified man had been stopped at a checkpoint in the Falfurrias sector of the border patrol's area of operation. He was flagged for a secondary inspection but instead of complying, agents say the man fled the checkpoint in his pickup truck "at a high rate of speed."

Agents chased the man until DPS troopers took over the pursuit, the release stated. At some point troopers reported the driver stopped and exited the vehicle after it began to spew smoke and became engulfed in flames.

The release states the man admitted to troopers to setting his own vehicle on fire to destroy "drugs in his possession." According to the news release, the man also told troopers he ingested two "eight balls," or seven grams, of cocaine before setting his truck on fire.

More than 150 pounds of marijuana was recovered from the burning vehicle, the border patrol reports.
The man, a U.S. citizen, was taken to an area hospital when he began to show signs of an overdose. The release did not specify his current condition.

Agent Robert Rodriguez said DPS is the lead agency on the incident and that they are still investigating, but that charges the man faces includes possession of marijuana, evading using vehicle and tampering with evidence.

There was no other information available, including the exact location of the stop. According to the border patrol, the Falfurrias sector is along U.S. 281 and encompasses 1,105 square miles within Brooks and southern Jim Wells counties

https://www.mysanantonio.com/sacultu...o-12704541.php

WOW.