High-speed chase ends in arrest after smuggling attempt at Brooks County rest stop

Border Patrol last week arrested an armed man who led agents on a high-speed chase after picking up people in the country illegally at the rest stop north of the Falfurrias checkpoint.

The incident happened at around 2:35 p.m. last Wednesday after a concerned citizen called Border Patrol to report a white Ford Explorer had loaded up with several people in the country illegally at the rest area.

A look-out for the vehicle was sent out to agents who spotted the vehicle driving north of the rest area.

As an agent conducted a vehicle registration check, the driver of the Explorer began to speed up, weaving in and out of traffic at approximately 85 miles per hour, according to a complaint.

“The vehicle passed a tractor trailer, immediately moved over in front of it (and) slowed down to the point the agent could not move over to get between the tractor trailer and the Ford Explorer,” the complaint stated. “The agent perceived it intentional to prevent the agent from getting behind the vehicle.”

The tractor-trailer, however, slowed down so the agent could get behind the vehicle.

“After approximately two miles the vehicle did not yield to the agents’ emergency equipment,” the complaint stated.

Brooks County sheriff’s deputies and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers got involved in the pursuit and the vehicle veered off of U.S. Highway 281 and went through a fence.

“The vehicle came to a stop when it struck some trees, and several subjects began to run from the vehicle,” the complaint stated.

Agents arrested two people in the country illegally and the driver, Francisco Javier Felix.

He told agents he received the smuggling job from someone he met on Snapchat and received the key to the explorer and instructions at a gas station on Monte Cristo Road, according to the complaint.

“After trying to evade arrest, Felix came to the realization he had no idea where he was, and eventually gave up,” the complaint stated.

One of the people Felix was allegedly smuggling told Border Patrol he thought he was going to die when the vehicle hit the trees.

That individual said that Felix also displayed a gun during the smuggling event, which also scared him, according to the complaint.

Felix is scheduled to make a first appearance Tuesday morning in Corpus Christi federal court in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby.