DWI DRIVER ON 3 RIMS LEADS DEPUTIES ON VEHICLE CHASE TO COUNTY LINE / DRIVER ARRESTED

RELEASE DATE / TIME : 09-05-10 11:55 am

  EL PASO COUNTY, TX-  Early Sunday morning 09-05-10 at 12:40 am, A Sheriff’s Deputy observed a Black Mercedes Bens bearing Arizona license plates swerving on the roadway while travelling eastbound at about the 12600 block of Montana. At that same time dispatch was receiving a flux of calls from citizens reporting the same vehicle. The Sheriff’s Deputy activated his emergency overheads in an attempt to pull the vehicle over for suspicion of drunk driving. The driver of the vehicle refused to stop continuing driving eastbound on Montana. At that point the chase was on as assisting units began converging to the immediate area. Awaiting Deputies deployed spikes on Montana near Desert Meadows. The suspect vehicle drove over the spikes disabling the front right tire. The driver continued east on Montana at approximately 45 mph. Deputies again set up spikes ahead on Montana successfully spiking the vehicle a 2nd time disabling the left side tires. The driver continued east on Montana driving on three rims with only the right rear tire intact. As the pursuit continued east on Montana, Deputies contacted U.S. Border Patrol & informed them of the pursuit heading towards the county line check point. The driver finally came to a stop at the US Border Patrol checkpoint located at 19599 Montana.

The driver was extracted from the vehicle and taken into custody. Deputies found several bottles of liquor and beer inside the vehicle. During the chase, vehicles reached top speeds of 50 mph. There was no damage to any property, other than the driver’s vehicle. There was light traffic & no accidents reported as a a result of the pursuit.

The driver refused the intoxilyzer test and was taken to the hospital for a mandatory blood draw. Further investigation revealed the driver identified as GUILLERMO HUERTA (51) of the 9800 block of Staubach El Paso, TX had three prior DWI convictions. He was arrested for felony EVADING ARREST W/ VEHICLE & DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED 3RD OR MORE.

 GUILLERMO HUERTA (51)

 DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED 3RD OR MORE - $5,000 BOND

EVADING ARREST W/ VEHICLE - $3,000 BOND

PHOTOS BELOW: COURTESY EPCSO PATROL DIVISION:

  The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office in March of 2001 was the first Sheriff’s Office in   the State of Texas to be Internationally Accredited from CALEA and is now the recipient of the First CALEA Tri-Arc award in Texas (4^th in the Nation) to have accreditations in: Law Enforcement, Communications, Training Academy.