A Texas Department of Public Safety pursuit ended in a crash on westbound Interstate 30 near Las Vegas Trail in Fort Worth, leaving one person critically injured. Authorities said the crash happened around 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, though key details about how it unfolded remain unclear.
One person was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, according to CBS News Texas, which reported the injury was attributed to Fort Worth Fire EMS. Officials said the person was critically injured in the crash, but the outlet reported that authorities have not released that person's identity. Fort Worth police referred questions about the incident to DPS, and a DPS spokesperson said details about the pursuit and the crash were not immediately available.
What Investigators Haven't Said Yet
As of the report, authorities had not released the number of vehicles involved in the crash, nor had they disclosed what prompted the pursuit in the first place. DPS said it is working to gather additional information, and CBS News Texas said it would provide updates as more details become available.
The lack of specifics leaves open basic questions about how the chase began and ended on westbound I-30 near Las Vegas Trail.
A Pattern of Pursuits Turning Into Crashes
A Pattern of Pursuits Turning Into Crashes
The frequency of such outcomes has drawn scrutiny statewide. An El Paso County analysis covering data from January 2018 through June 2024 examined more than 12,000 pursuits across Texas, according to Texas Public Radio. A KTEP News analysis cited in the same report found 258 DPS pursuits from January 1 through September 22, 2024, with 24% ending in a collision.
Questions About DPS Pursuit Policy
The same report found that more than 80% of pursuits were initiated on suspicion of a traffic violation, and that in more than half of the El Paso cases reviewed, 54% of suspects were drivers under age 25, with 11% under 18. DPS data cited in the report showed pursuit speeds ranging from 60 to 133 miles per hour.
Other Texas agencies have moved to tighten their pursuit standards in recent years. The El Paso Police Department changed its policy in 2021 to require officers to demonstrate a clear and immediate threat to the public before engaging in a high-speed chase, per the same report. Border Patrol similarly revised its pursuit policy in 2023, acknowledging that vehicle pursuits inherently pose risk to the public, officers, agents and people in the vehicles being pursued.
No information has been released about what led to Tuesday's pursuit in Fort Worth or how many vehicles were involved in the resulting crash. CBS News Texas said it would continue to provide updates as DPS gathers additional information about the incident.
