LA SALLE COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Eighteen migrants were found in an 18-wheeler after a lengthy pursuit in La Salle County, officials say.

According to a post from Lt. Christopher Olivarez with the Texas Department of Public Safety, a smuggler in a stolen tractor trailer led DPS troopers on a high-speed chase on IH-35.

Frio County deputies deployed tire deflation devices on the 18-wheeler, but the driver continued to evade them.

DPS says the suspect drove through neighborhoods and struck stop signs and electrical posts before bailing out and running away from authorities.

Inside the trailer, troopers found 18 migrants crammed inside the sleeper area of the truck, according to the release. The migrants were referred to U.S. Border Patrol shortly after.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A high-speed chase involving Laredo Police took place on Monday, June 19, 2023, at approximately 7:30 p.m., following the reported theft of a vehicle during a car-jacking robbery over the weekend.

According to police, the chase ended when the suspect, later identified as 33-year-old Juan Ibarra, crashed the stolen vehicle into a canal creek at the dead end of San Pablo Avenue and Farragut Street. Police say Ibarra then tried to run, leading law enforcement on another chase through the Azteca neighborhood.

Around 7:49 pm, officers say they found Ibarra hiding in the backyard of a residence in a storage room and was then arrested.

Ibarra is facing multiple charges, including Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Assault of a Public Servant, Resisting Arrest, Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, and Evading Arrest.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The Laredo Police Department has initiated a death investigation following the discovery of a body in a ditch close to the railroad tracks near Market Street and North Martin Avenue.

Authorities found the body around 12 p.m. on Tuesday, June 20. The exact circumstances surrounding the discovery of the deceased individual remain under investigation. Laredo Police Department officials have not released any additional details regarding the identity of the deceased or the possible cause of death.

Railroad Police have been made aware of the incident.

Updates will be provided as soon as more information becomes available.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Phoebe Copas, 48 was recently arrested and is facing charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury after she allegedly shot an Uber driver on U.S. 54 near Loop 375 on Friday, June 16.

KTSM has obtained court documents that state Copas reportedly did not call for police or emergency services to disclose her being in danger before allegedly shooting Daniel Piedra Garcia, 52.

Court documents also state Copas allegedly took a photo of Piedra Garcia after he was shot and sent it to her boyfriend via text message before calling 911.

According to court documents, investigators learned that Copas was in El Paso visiting her boyfriend and was planning on meeting him at the Speaking Rock Casino after he got out of work.

Court documents state Copas arranged and paid for an Uber driver to pick her up and drive her to the casino. While Copas was being transported to the casino, she observed traffic signs that stated “Juarez, Mexico” which led her to believe that Piedra Garcia was attempting to kidnap her and take her into Juarez, Mexico.

Court documents state Copas then allegedly grabbed a “silver and brown handgun from her purse” and allegedly shot Piedra Garcia. The vehicle then collided with the roadway barriers before coming to a stop on US-54 near Loop 375.

Officers then arrived on scene and saw Copas was being helped out of the vehicle by her boyfriend. Officers also saw Copas “drop everything she was holding in her hands on the
ground. Included with the items that fell to the ground, was a brown and silver handgun,” according to court documents.

Court documents add the location where the vehicle came to a stop was not near a bridge, port of entry, or other areas with immediate access to travel into Mexico.

Police say the investigation does not support a kidnapping took place or that Piedra Garcia was veering from Copas’ initial destination.

Piedra Garcia’s family has set up a GoFundMe account to help with hospital expenses and says they are hoping for a miracle regarding his current condition.

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Migrant encounters spiked during the first 11 days of May, then plummeted after the U.S. formally ended Title 42 public health expulsions, government data show. 

The U.S. Border Patrol recorded 169,244 encounters between ports of entry along the Southwest border, a decrease of 25% from May 2022 and a drop of 42,157 compared to the 211,401 apprehensions reported in April. 

More than half of the U.S. Border Patrol’s encounters in May occurred prior to the lifting of the CDC’s Title 42 public health order.  

From May 1-11, Border Patrol encountered 98,850 individuals between ports of entry along the Southwest border. After the termination of the order as of 11:59 p.m. EDT on May 11 through the end of the month on May 31, Border Patrol’s encounters between ports of entry along the Southwest border were 70,394.

“As part of our planning for the end of the Title 42 public health order, we have surged resources, technology, and personnel to safely and orderly manage challenges along the southern border – while at the same time, maintaining a persistent focus on our other missions to ensure national and economic security,” U.S. Customs and Border Protection Acting Commissioner Troy A. Miller said on Tuesday.

Migrant encounters at Southwestern ports of entry were up, but largely consisted of individuals presenting themselves for appointments made through the CBP One app, the agency reported.  

The Office of Field Operations recorded 35,317 encounters at such ports of entry. Of those, 28,696 individuals presented with CBP One appointments. CBP’s total encounters along the Southwest border in May were 204,561, a decrease of 15% from May 2022. 

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Migrant apprehensions between ports of entry, which in early May surpassed 10,000 at least once, dropped to an average of 3,500 a day from May 12 through May 31.  

More than 2 million migrants have been apprehended between ports of entry or presented themselves at ports of entry since Oct. 1 nationwide.