DPS releases new details from Monday's Lower Valley pursuit that left two dead
The Texas Department of Public Safety has released new details from a Lower Valley pursuit that resulted in a crash and left two people dead Monday night.
According to DPS, the vehicle was carrying five passengers and the driver.
The passengers included four undocumented citizens and one U.S. citizen. The driver was also a U.S. citizen.
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The two U.S. citizens were identified as Adrian Neeko Brustie, 20, a Floridian and the driver of the vehicle, as well as Juelissa Krisel Seniceres, 19, who was sitting in the front right passenger seat.
Both Brustie and Seniceres were arrested for human smuggling.
Meanwhile, two of the undocumented citizens died on the scene, while the other two were taken to hospitals with injuries.
According to DPS, around 8: 25 p.m. on Monday a DPS trooper attempted to pull over a reddish or maroon KIA near Doniphan Drive and Mesa Street for a registration violation.
The driver of the KIA fled the scene through a Food King and Spec's Wine and Food parking lot while migrants jumped out of the vehicle.
DPS did not mention how many migrants "bailed out as the vehicle was in motion."
The DPS trooper continued to pursue the vehicle eastbound onto I-10 before heading southbound on Trowbridge Drive, where the vehicle crashed into a curb and a yield sign before ultimately crashing and rolling near the intersection of Trowbridge Drive and North Loop.
Congressman Tony Gonzales provided the following statement regarding high-pursuit chases.
“High-speed chases are all too common across border communities. Many of them have resulted in the loss of innocent lives. The root of the issue is that human smugglers aren’t being given a punishment that fits the crime. In September, I teamed up with Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) to introduce new legislation that would increase penalties for anyone who engages in a high-speed chase with Border Patrol or other law enforcement agencies that are supporting border operations. If our legislation gets signed into law, failure to yield to Border Patrol and law enforcement would be a felony crime."
Rep. Veronica Escobar provided the following statement:
“I’ve been very concerned about the way DPS has engaged in our community, especially the dangerous high-speed chases in neighborhoods near schools and parks. This kind of engagement can and frequently does end in tragedy. Unfortunately, I have no jurisdiction over state matters or purview over DPS.”
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