A Wisconsin man is under arrest after leading multiple law enforcement agencies on a 50-mile chase that reached speeds in excess of 100 mph after he refused a Border Patrol inspection at the Sarita checkpoint.
Malcom Terry made a first appearance in Corpus Christi federal court Monday following his arrest last Thursday near Robstown.
The incident occurred after Terry arrived at the checkpoint at 10:40 p.m. in a white Nissan Altima.
During the initial inspection, Border Patrol says in a criminal complaint that he told agents he had met a woman in Harlingen and was heading to Houston.
When the agent asked Terry if they could look in the trunk, Terry asked “Why?”
The agent then ordered Terry to secondary after a canine alerted to his vehicle, according to the complaint.
“Terry then asked the agent ‘What is the dog alerting to,’” the complaint stated.
The agent then again ordered him to the secondary area for further inspection.
“After a slight delay, Terry went to secondary inspection,” the complaint stated. “However, after a few seconds, Terry left the secondary inspection and proceeded to drive northbound on Highway 77 at a high rate of speed.”
As Terry reached Sarita, he was driving at speeds of more than 100 mph, according to the complaint, which said Terry continued driving at a high rate of speed despite agents using a tire deflation device.
“Terry eventually passed through the communities of Rivera, Ricardo, Kingsville, Bishop, and Driscoll, Texas continuing to drive at excess speeds despite the fact his car had deflated, and eventually, no tires,” the complaint stated. “As pieces of metal and rubber were breaking off the Altima, they became shrapnel causing damage to law enforcement vehicles in pursuit.”
After a chase of more than 50 miles, Terry’s vehicle came to stop south of Robstown due to mechanical failures, according to the complaint.
Authorities arrested Terry and with the assistance of a Border Patrol canine and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter, two people who ran from the vehicle were taken into custody.
Those people, who are from Mexico and Guatemala, were in the country illegally, according to the complaint.
Terry is charged with bringing in and harboring people in the country illegally and is temporarily being held without bond pending further court proceedings.
