Pursuit, Bail-Out Happens Inside City Limits

A pursuit that began last Wednesday on Interstate 10 near Engle ended in Schulenburg with an empty car wrecked on the railroad tracks.

According to Lt. David Beyer of the Sheriff’s Office, investigators believe the car may have been transporting illegal immigrants.

Beyer said Sheriff’s Deputy Rick Bohlmann attempted to pull a vehicle over for speeding in the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near mile marker 666 west of Schulenburg. The vehicle initially pulled over. Beyer said the vehicle sped away as Bohlmann exited his patrol car. Bohlmann pursued the vehicle east but lost sight of the vehicle.

Schulenburg Police Chief Troy Brenek said his agency received a description of the vehicle, a silver four-door Ford Explorer with damage to the passenger side. Brenek said Officer Juan Castilleja spotted a vehicle matching the description on US Hwy. 90 near Upton Avenue. Castilleja attempted to stop the vehicle but it sped away.

The Explorer headed north on Upton and then turned east onto College Avenue. The pursuit continued past Schulenburg High School and City Market, across US 77, past 10th Frame Bowl, Arlan’s Supermarket and Schulenburg Regency Nursing home. The Explorer turned south on East Avenue and then east on Hwy. 90.

By that time, Schulenburg Police Officer Frank Parkinson was waiting on Hwy. 90. Brenek said that when the driver of the Explorer saw Parkinson, the vehicle crashed through a fence and entered private property. It drove through a pasture on the east side of BWI, Inc. before crashing into the railroad tracks near the intersection of Oakland Road and Stanzel Avenue.

Schulenburg Officer Devan Taylor was the first officer to arrive at the crash. Brenek said the driver and all occupants were gone when Taylor arrived. Officers searched the area but could not find anyone. Neither Beyer nor Brenek knew how many people were in the car.