A 17-year-old Mexican national turned a routine traffic stop in Laredo, Texas, into a day-long law enforcement nightmare on Thursday—one that left two suspected illegal aliens dead, multiple vehicles stolen, and officers chasing a fugitive all the way to the Rio Grande. If anyone still wonders why border security matters, this is your answer.
According to law enforcement sources, the suspect—identified as Saul Garcia-Rodriguez—was believed to be driving a suspicious white Toyota SUV first spotted on Mines Road just south of Laredo. After briefly eluding authorities, a Texas Highway Patrol trooper observed the vehicle on Interstate 35. When the driver refused to stop, a pursuit followed. Because that always ends well, right?
The chase came to a deadly conclusion when the vehicle crashed into a utility pole on San Bernardo Avenue. Inside were six suspected illegal aliens along with the alleged human smuggler. Two male occupants died on impact. Authorities noted that none of the individuals in the vehicle were wearing seatbelts.
Garcia-Rodriguez was taken to a local hospital for examination and later released into custody. That should have been the end of it—but not even close. While being transported by a Texas DPS Highway Patrol trooper, the suspect managed to move his handcuffs from behind his back to the front, slide into the driver’s seat of the marked patrol unit, and steal the vehicle—service firearm included—after the trooper briefly stepped out. Just another day on the border.
The stolen patrol car was later found damaged and abandoned near Lake Casa Blanca after reports of a person in handcuffs wandering the area. The suspect then encountered Laredo police officers while speaking with a survey crew south of the city. When officers approached, Garcia-Rodriguez jumped into the crew’s white pickup truck and attempted to flee once again.
Video reviewed by Breitbart Texas shows at least one officer firing shots at the fleeing suspect, though none struck him. The chase continued until the teen abandoned the vehicle and attempted to swim across the Rio Grande to escape into Mexico. That plan ended when a Border Patrol airboat intercepted him and officers pulled him from the water, placing him back into custody.
The entire incident—including the fatal crash, vehicle thefts, and multiple pursuits—is now under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security Investigations in Laredo.
Despite the success of President Trump’s border policies, illegal alien “gotaways” continue to surface after crossing the border, particularly in the Laredo Sector—one of the largest areas still lacking effective border barriers. As Breitbart has repeatedly reported, these situations often lead to dangerous pursuits and extensive searches on interior ranchlands.
Under Texas law, Garcia-Rodriguez is expected to be prosecuted as an adult. Texas automatically charges 17-year-olds as adults, especially in cases involving human smuggling resulting in serious injury or death. Under the Texas Smuggling of Persons Law, the charges can rise to a first-degree felony when fatalities occur.
The silver lining is clear: law enforcement ultimately prevailed, a dangerous smuggler is off the streets, and the incident once again underscores why strong borders and serious enforcement matter. When laws are enforced—and backed by resolve—chaos can be confronted, order restored, and lives protected.
