Thread: Sheriff Wants Homemade Spikes Classified as Deadly Weapons

Sheriff Wants Homemade Spikes Classified as Deadly Weapons
Reported by: Erica Proffer
Last Update: 7:26 pm

HIDALGO COUNTY-- Small. Deadly. Spikes are being used more often to harm police.

"Punching out a couple tires is no big deal but when you do it at 60 or 70 mph you can very easily kill the deputy behind the wheel," said Sheriff Lupe Trevino, Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Trevino is trying to get these weapons classified as "deadly." He's working with the Department of Public Safety and U.S. Border Patrol.

If it's clarified, it could change the way they pursue vehicles.

"These things are going to be used for one thing and one thing only that's to disable police pursuing in high speeds," said Trevino.

The most recent attack disabled two sheriff's units. Smugglers in a white F-250 tried to get marijuana across the border. When deputies tried pulling the driver over, someone threw out spikes. The truck crashed into a tree. The smugglers bailed out. They left nearly a thousand pounds of marijuana behind.

Those living nearby are afraid. They see this all too often.

"Of course, we're all afraid here. We have to work. We have our houses, our kids. Those people don't care," said one man who lives near the crime scene.

The man didn't want to his identity revealed. He was afraid he'd be targeted. He says smugglers destroy his property almost every day. They tear down his fence to transport drugs.

"I fix them I put them like two feet apart and they take them out so they can cross their cars," said the man.

He thinks they may have connections in the area. Sheriff's investigators agree. Deputies believe someone picked them the two men who got away. Someone who could be equipping them with more deadly gear.

If the spikes can get classified as a deadly weapon, it would allow officers to return the "deadly force" during pursuits. Sheriff Trevino says that could make them re-think the way they chase.

http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Sh ... uuQTA.cspx

Smugglers Use Spikes to Disable Patrol Cars

Last Update: 6:15 pm

PENITAS – Hidalgo County Sheriff's deputies tried pulling over a white Ford-250 on the north side of Penitas today. The two suspected smugglers sped off. One of the men threw out homemade spike strips along the way. Two Sheriff patrol units ran over the spikes, which tore up the tires.

The smugglers crashed into some trees and bailed out of the truck running into a wooded area. Search crews did not find them but they discover nearly a thousand pounds of marijuana from the vehicle.

http://www.krgv.com/news/local/story/Sm ... cRcoQ.cspx