What started as a simple vehicle sighting for a Dallas police task force turned into a roaring high-speed chase across I-635 and into Mesquite, with officers clocking the driver at more than 100 miles per hour before finally boxing him in and making an arrest.
Dallas police say the incident kicked off on Monday, when officers with the Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force spotted a vehicle that had been reported stolen in an armed carjacking the day before. The pursuit spilled onto I-635, tore through a construction zone and then snaked onto surface streets in Mesquite, with the driver allegedly hitting extremely dangerous speeds. A 46-year-old man was ultimately taken into custody after a multi-agency response.
How Officers Zeroed In On The Suspect
According to officers assigned to the Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force, they first located the vehicle on Monday after it had been listed as stolen in an armed carjacking on March 15. Once they confirmed the match, they called for additional ground units and Air-1 to keep eyes on the car from above before trying to pull it over.
Police say the driver refused to stop and headed onto I-635, blasting through a construction zone at speeds topping 100 miles per hour. The pursuit continued until the driver exited at Jupiter Road, where the chase shifted off the freeway and onto local streets.
Officers reported that the driver later attempted to hop a median, but that maneuver backfired when the vehicle became disabled. That is when officers from Mesquite and deputies with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office moved in and helped take the suspect into custody, according to the Dallas Police Department.
On March 16, 2026, at approximately 11:15 a.m., Dallas Police officers assigned to the Project Safe Neighborhood Task Force located a vehicle that was reported stolen in an armed carjacking on March 15. The officers called for additional units and AIR-1 to maintain visual contact… pic.twitter.com/LSIFtUuysp
— Dallas Police Dept (@DallasPD) March 19, 2026
Charges And Case Details
Dallas police identified the suspect as 46-year-old Alfredo Hernandez and said he was booked on a stack of felony charges. Those include unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, a state jail felony; evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, a third-degree felony; manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, a second-degree felony; and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a third-degree felony.
The case has been logged under number 037178-2026, and investigators are not ruling out more counts. The department noted that "additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues," per the Dallas Police Department.
Public Safety Concerns And What Comes Next
High-speed chases that jump from freeways into city streets are the kind of thing that makes traffic safety experts and neighbors alike lose sleep, and this one had all the ingredients for disaster. The use of Air-1 in this case helped officers track the suspect from the sky, which limited the need for more aggressive tactics on the ground while the vehicle was still moving.
Authorities have not said whether the carjacking victim or anyone in the public was injured, and the investigation remains active. Anyone with information is asked to contact Dallas police and reference case number 037178-2026.
