A late-night high-speed chase that began in southern Atascosa County and spanned approximately 40 miles ended dramatically when the suspect crashed into an unoccupied Bexar County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle on the southern side of Bexar County.
The incident started around midnight in the tiny town of Christine in far southern Atascosa County. A deputy on patrol attempted to stop a suspicious sedan, which refused to pull over. The driver, later identified as 32-year-old Angel Martinez, led officers on a dangerous pursuit, including speeding northbound in the southbound lanes of Interstate 37.
Dash camera footage captured the sedan reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. Atascosa County Sheriff’s Deputy Brandon Devora, who was involved in the initial attempt to stop the vehicle, expressed concern for safety during the chase and requested permission to use his patrol vehicle to end it, but was advised against it due to the danger.
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers joined the pursuit as other drivers on the highway dodged to avoid the fleeing vehicle. Upon entering Bexar County, officers deployed spike strips, which disabled the suspect’s car.
The Bexar County Sheriff’s deputy had stepped out of his patrol vehicle moments before the crash and was not injured. With guns drawn, the deputy and DPS troopers attempted to remove Martinez from the vehicle. When he refused to comply, officers used a long gun to break a window and take him into custody.
Officials reported no injuries to law enforcement or civilians, and no other vehicles were damaged in the incident.
Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office officials, including Deputy Chief Eric Kaiser, identified the suspect as Angel Martinez, 32, who had active warrants out of Dallas for drug and fraud offenses. Following the chase, Atascosa County added a felony charge of evading arrest with a vehicle. In Bexar County, Martinez was held responsible for totaling the patrol vehicle.
Martinez was booked into the Atascosa County Jail and is being held without bond.
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