El Paso police say a 39-year-old man is now in custody in connection with a late-2025 hit-and-run that killed a pedestrian on U.S. Highway 54. Authorities identified the suspect as George Thomas Halvorsen and say his arrest came after an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers.
Arrest, Charges and Booking
According to KVIA, the El Paso Police Department announced on March 23, 2026, that Halvorsen is charged with Collision Involving Death and possession of a controlled substance (penalty group 1/1-B, under 1 gram). KVIA reports he was booked into the El Paso Downtown Detention Facility with a total bond set at $105,000.
How the Crash Unfolded
As outlined by the City of El Paso, the Special Traffic Investigations unit responded at about 12:06 a.m. on Dec. 26, 2025, to US Hwy 54 North near Ellerthorpe after a vehicle struck 36-year-old pedestrian Miguel Eduardo Rodriguez. The city’s release states that Rodriguez had pulled over near Gateway North, then walked to the highway shoulder, where he was hit by a vehicle that left the scene. The release adds, "This is the 61st traffic fatality of 2025 compared to 68 last year." The initial search for the driver that night was previously reported by Hoodline.
Tip Led to Arrest, Investigators Say
Police told KVIA that an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip helped detectives identify Halvorsen as a suspect in the deadly crash. Investigators have asked anyone with information about the vehicle or the case to contact the El Paso Police Department or Crime Stoppers, according to the city’s release.
