6 killed after Texas police pursuit ends in dramatic crash

[News_Editor]

MISSION, TEXAS (BNO NEWS) -- A stolen pickup truck being chased by the Texas Highway Patrol crashed into vehicles Monday at an intersection close to the border with Mexico, killing at least six people and injuring several others, officials said. The driver was later arrested.

The incident began on late Monday afternoon when a Texas Highway Patrol sergeant initiated a high-speed pursuit of a pickup truck north of Mission, a city just miles from the border with Mexico. The pickup truck belonged to the Alton Police Department, but it was not immediately clear when the truck was stolen or if it was marked as a police vehicle.

The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) said the crash happened when the pickup truck entered the intersection of FM 2221 and Western Road in Mission, striking three vehicles. The suspect initially fled the scene but was quickly apprehended by the sergeant who initiated the pursuit.

"From the three other vehicles involved in the crash, multiple people were transported to various local hospitals with injuries, and at this time, there are six confirmed fatalities," a DPS spokesperson said in an e-mailed statement. The suspect was also transported to a nearby hospital.

Neither the conditions of those injured, nor the identity of the suspect, was immediately known. "We have not confirmed the identities of the deceased or injured," the DPS spokesperson said. "This crash is under investigation, and no additional information is available at this time."

(Copyright 2013 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: [email protected].)

[GentlemanJim]

No doubt all filmed by a TV channel helicopter and shown on prime time viewing. Looks like the truck driver put on a good show

[impulse]

No doubt all filmed by a TV channel helicopter...

Never been to Mission, Texas, have you?

[NeverSure]

ABC News

"A high speed chase outside of Mission, Texas, turned deadly when the driver behind the wheel of a stolen pickup truck slammed into three other vehicles, killing four young children and their mother and father in an SUV, authorities said.

Alton Police Department Chief Enrique Soleto told ABCNews.com that the suspect, identified as Hector Ramirez, 18, of Roma, Texas, smashed into a Chevrolet Suburban with a family of seven inside, as well as two other vehicles, at an intersection in a rural area near Mission, on Monday afternoon.

Six of the seven family members inside the SUV were killed on impact, Soleto said. A 3-year-old boy was the only passenger in the car to survive the crash.

More

It isn't normal or acceptable for a police officer to engage in a high speed chase in those kinds of traffic conditions except in extreme circumstances such as if the perp is firing a gun at passersby from his car.

I would guess the officer has some 'splainin' to do.

Edited August 15, 2013 by Scott
Fair Use

[Scott]

A post has been edited for fair use. Please only include the headline and the first 3 sentences of the article and then a link to the article. More than that is a no-no.

[Sing_Sling]

No doubt all filmed by a TV channel helicopter...

Never been to Mission, Texas, have you?

I would suggest that 99.99% of the world's population hasn't . . . or even 99.9% of the US population

Possibly for good reason

[impulse]

I'm not suggesting it, either. I worked in the area for about 5 years right out of college.

Nice weather, great people and very little to do, outside of tipping cows.

I've heard they hold world class snipe hunts, but never tried it.

Edited August 15, 2013 by impulse

[chuckd]

Snipe were abundant where I grew up in West Texas also.

I can be counted in the .1% of the US population that has been to Mission many years ago.

[Sing_Sling]

Snipe were abundant where I grew up in West Texas also.

I can be counted in the .1% of the US population that has been to Mission many years ago.

Did you indulge in the noble sport of cow-tipping while you were there? I hear it is de rigeur in those parts!

[F430murci]

Snipe were abundant where I grew up in West Texas also.

I can be counted in the .1% of the US population that has been to Mission many years ago.

Did you indulge in the noble sport of cow-tipping while you were there? I hear it is de rigeur in those parts!

Leave to poor cows alone. We obviously need a bigger PETA presence in Mission, Texas.

[impulse]

Snipe were abundant where I grew up in West Texas also.

I can be counted in the .1% of the US population that has been to Mission many years ago.

Did you indulge in the noble sport of cow-tipping while you were there? I hear it is de rigeur in those parts!

Leave to poor cows alone. We obviously need a bigger PETA presence in Mission, Texas.

And they ought to protect the snipes, too!

[jamhar]

I cant recall the last time "snipes" were brought into a conversation.

But i can recall some pretty good times

This high speed chase was ill-advised.

The fact that the truck was stolen from a police department probably added to reason for the chase.

Still, lots of people died and got hurt over a truck.

[Credo]

In Texas there are somethings you just don't mess with, one of them is someone's pickup truck.

[chuckd]

Following is an update on the incident that killed six members of the same family.

My guess is the car thief was an illegal immigrant as well.

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Alton suspect was out of jail on bail

BY JEREMY ROEBUCK : AUGUST 14, 2013 : Updated: August 15, 2013 6:47am

ALTON — A teenager accused of killing six members of a Hidalgo County family Monday while fleeing from a state trooper in a stolen truck was out on bail for a separate crime at the time of the fatal wreck, state court records show.

Mission police arrested Hector Ramirez, 18, of Roma, seven days before the crash on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and misdemeanor marijuana possession.

Interim Mission Police Chief Robert Dominguez said the teen was trying to cross the Roma-Ciudad Miguel Aleman International Bridge into Mexico in a stolen car on Aug. 5 when customs officers noticed there was no key in the ignition.

Entire article here: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Alton-suspect-was-out-of-jail-on-bail-4733153.php