Driver, 8 migrants detained after chase in stolen pickup truck: Houston police

Loading Video…

This browser does not support the Video element.

9 migrants detained after chase in Houston, police say

Houston police say a driver and eight migrants were detained after a chase in a stolen vehicle.

A driver and eight migrants were detained after a police chase with a stolen truck early Monday morning, Houston police say.

According to police, the incident began around 2 a.m. when officers ran a license plate on a pickup truck, and it came back as stolen from another vehicle.

MORE: Title 42, which allowed US to expel migrants to prevent COVID spread, will expire Dec. 21

Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the truck evaded for about two miles before coming to a stop in a field in the 8600 block of Clarewood, police say.

According to police, nine people – three females and six males – jumped out and took off running. A Texas DPS helicopter and officers helped to detain them.

Houston police say several people were detained after a police chase.

MORE: Gov. Greg Abbott calls for five-year mandatory sentence for human smugglers

According to police, it appears the people from Guatemala and Mexico came through from Reynosa to San Antonio and then to Houston, where they were then picked up in the pickup truck.

Police say the pickup truck was also stolen, taken from a motel in Houston on Dec. 6.

MORE: 1 killed in 3-vehicle crash with suspected drunk driver on Gulf Fwy

Homeland Security Investigations is interviewing those who were detained. Police say the driver is being arrested for felony evading in a motor vehicle but could face other charges. If the eight other migrants are not wanted, police say they will be connected with a nonprofit.