Smuggler had kids in cab, SO reports after pursuit

The La Salle County Sheriff’s Office is examining evidence that indicates criminal efforts to smuggle undocumented immigrants through South Texas have begun increasing in number in recent weeks.

A Laredo teenager was arrested beside the Union Pacific railroad line at Artesia Wells Thursday evening, October 17, after crashing his truck at the end of a high-speed pursuit and was found to have been transporting two children among his immigrant passengers.

Identified as Rene Purata, 18, the suspect had drawn the attention of the La Salle County Sheriff’s Office while traveling north on IH-35 at around 6:30 p.m. Thursday, and Deputy Spencer Dominguez attempted to effect a traffic stop of the man’s Ford crew-cab pickup truck near Gardendale.

A report on the case indicates Purata sped from the officer by leaving the interstate at Gardendale and using an underpass to turn his vehicle southbound, whereupon he re-entered the interstate and began speeding towards Cotulla.

Deputy Dominguez alerted other agencies to the developing pursuit and members of the Texas Highway Patrol, the US Border Patrol and the sheriff’s office made moves to intercept the fugitive who had begun traveling at speeds in excess of 90 miles per hour.

Highway Patrol troopers deployed tire-deflating spikes in the path of the speeding truck at an overpass in Artesia Wells and succeeded in puncturing the Ford’s front driver-side tire. Sheriff’s office dashboard-mounted camera footage shows the truck slowing and veering to the right, plowing off the interstate towards the west-side access road and the Union Pacific line.

According to officers pursuing the fugitive, the Ford drove up the railroad embankment and became stuck on the steep gradient in loose soil, and three of the vehicle’s doors were flung open.

The patrol vehicle video footage shows an adult male leaping from the front passenger-side door carrying a small child, hoisting the girl over his head and running over the railroad line.

Purata surrendered to officers immediately upon climbing out of the truck.

La Salle Deputy Hector Rodriguez, who had been off duty earlier in the afternoon, was traveling south on the interstate at the time of the pursuit and arrived at the scene to witness the unidentified passenger carrying the child into the brush, according to the sheriff’s office. The deputy followed the passenger into the brush and restrained him, rescued the child and carried her to the safety of a patrol vehicle, according to La Salle Lt. Homar Olivarez.

“When we examined the pickup truck, we found that there were five additional passengers in the back seat,” Lt. Olivarez said. “One of them was also a minor.”

No injuries have been reported in the case; all of the passengers have been listed as undocumented immigrants and have been taken into custody by the US Border Patrol.

Purata was remanded into custody at the La Salle County Jail on two second-degree felony charges of smuggling a person under the age of 18, five second-degree felony charges of smuggling while fleeing, and a third-degree felony charge of evading arrest. His criminal record indicates a history of interaction with law enforcement, including at least one prior charge related to evading arrest while he was a minor. He was released from jail Monday, Oct. 21, on a $75,000 surety bond.

“This case is indicative of a new rise in the number of smuggling attempts that agencies in the region have witnessed,” the lieutenant said, “and further evidence of what risks they will take to evade capture.”

The lieutenant pointed to a number of recent smuggler interceptions near Encinal and a case on Monday evening, Oct. 21, when a sport utility vehicle landed on the railroad line a short distance north of Cotulla. Border Patrol and Highway Patrol officers were at the scene shortly before 6 p.m. Further details of that case remain pending.

“Smugglers are risking passengers’ lives, including children, and endangering other motorists,” Lt. Olivarez said. “Our primary concerns are for the safety of the public as well as for the victims of criminal smuggling who have no control over what their smugglers do to evade capture.”

Recent arrests over a two-week period in October related to the handling or smuggling of undocumented immigrants and fleeing from officers have included Mario Alberto Maldonado, 62, of Encinal on Oct. 3 with four counts of felony operation of a stash house; Carlos Flores, 31, of Austin on Oct. 4 for failure to appear in court on three counts of felony smuggling and a felony for smuggling a minor, and drug possession; Josue Benjamin Perez-De La Cruz, 18, of Austin on Oct. 5 for felony smuggling while fleeing, nine counts of human smuggling with a likelihood of serious bodily injury or death, and evading arrest; Miguel Angel Padilla-Sendejas, 17, of San Antonio on Oct. 6 with four counts of felony human smuggling and evading arrest with a vehicle; Edward Rocha, 21, of Laredo on Oct. 7 for seven counts of felony human smuggling and state jail felony evading arrest with a vehicle; Juan Jose Ramirez, 42, of Rio Bravo, Texas, on Oct. 10 for six counts of felony human smuggling; and several suspects in custody on charges related to evading arrest with a vehicle.

The sheriff’s office is reminding the public to stay clear of pursuits by pulling over or leaving the interstate by the nearest exit. Law enforcement agents will block exit routes leading towards built-up areas and residential neighborhoods as a further measure to protect the public from reckless drivers attempting to evade capture.