A traffic stop in Far East El Paso County spiraled into a vehicle pursuit and a foot chase through the desert over the weekend, ending with deputies taking 37-year-old Isai Ebenezer Silva into custody on multiple felony charges, including evading arrest and drug possession. A female passenger who got out of the vehicle during the chase was safely detained, though she was not identified in the sheriff's office news release.
According to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, deputies first tried to pull Silva over shortly after 8 p.m. last Saturday on South Ascension Street after observing a traffic violation, as reported by KTSM 9 News. Dashcam video captured Silva initially stopping in the 700 block of South Ascension Street before pulling away from deputies, who pursued him toward the 14800 block of Miguel Street. That's where the female passenger got out of the vehicle, and Silva fled again, this time driving directly into a desert area where his vehicle eventually became immobilized.
Driver Bails Into the Desert on Foot
Once his vehicle was stuck, Silva got out and ran into the desert on foot, according to the station's report. Deputies tracked him down and took him into custody, while the passenger was safely detained at the scene per sheriff's officials. During the investigation, deputies found less than four grams of methamphetamine inside the vehicle.
That amount does not by itself establish the degree of Silva's drug charge. Under Texas Health and Safety Code § 481.115, possession of less than one gram of a Penalty Group 1 substance like methamphetamine is a state jail felony, while possession of one gram or more but less than four grams is a third-degree felony. He also faces a separate charge of evading arrest with a vehicle. Texas Penal Code § 38.04 sets no minimum speed, distance or duration for vehicle evasion.
Foot Flight During the Chase
The sheriff's office says Silva was charged with evading arrest or detention with a previous conviction, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, and possession of a controlled substance.
Compounding his legal exposure, Silva also had an outstanding warrant for tampering with an electronic monitoring device, along with an outstanding parole violation.
Silva Booked Without Bond
According to KVIA, Silva was booked without bond. A parole violation does not always foreclose bond: the board may set it in some cases, particularly for technical or administrative violations, according to the Neal Davis Law Firm.
The chase adds to a growing list of pursuits in El Paso County, where vehicle chases have become a flashpoint for local officials.
Off-road evasions aren't new to the rural stretches of eastern El Paso County. In August, sheriff's deputies conducted a similar chase in Fabens after multiple off-road vehicles fled public roadways, resulting in three arrests for evading arrest and public interference.
