A 44-year-old man is facing a felony evading charge after deputies say he tore through commercial and residential streets near Clint in a UTV on Wednesday afternoon, with law enforcement in pursuit until the vehicle was finally disabled and he was arrested.
According to KTSM, deputies with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Texas Rangers were in the area on an investigation when they spotted two UTVs being driven unsafely. When they tried to pull them over, one UTV stopped. The other, authorities say, took off and led officers across several roadways, into a commercial area and then a nearby neighborhood before it was brought to a halt.
KVIA identified the suspect as Angel Ortiz, 44, and reported he was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on a charge of evading with a vehicle. His bond was set at $10,000, and the station notes the arrest happened Wednesday afternoon.
How the pursuit ended
The sheriff’s office said the fleeing UTV was disabled shortly after the chase and deputies took the driver into custody without further incident, according to KTSM. Local reports did not mention any injuries connected to the pursuit.
What the charge can mean
Ortiz is accused of evading with a vehicle. Under Texas Penal Code §38.04, using a vehicle to flee law enforcement can elevate an evading offense to a state-jail or third-degree felony, depending on the circumstances, exposing defendants to potential jail or prison time and fines; a summary of the statute is available from FindLaw.
No further information about injuries or any additional charges had been released in the initial reports. As court filings and county booking records become available, they will provide the next round of details in a case local outlets and the sheriff’s office are expected to keep tracking.
