LAREDO: A suspect is behind bars accused of trying to smuggle undocumented immigrants into the United States.
Around two Wednesday morning police tried stopping a suspicious vehicle by Poggenpohl and Davis.
When the driver refused to stop, a chase began.
At 1500 Main, the driver of the vehicle, a 2005 white, Jeep Cherokee lost control and struck an AEP utility pole.
The four passengers in the vehicle quickly left the scene, but were later found by authorities and identified as undocumented immigrants.
The driver identified as Gilberto Flores Garza ran away, but police caught him.
He was arrested and charged with four counts of human smuggling, evading arrest in a vehicle and evading arrest.
On Wednesday morning at about 2:04 am, Laredo Police Department officers attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle by Poggenpohl and Davis.
The vehicle refused to stop, and a chase ensued.
The vehicle went south on Davis, then turned west and headed south on Main. The vehicle was a white 2005 Jeep Cherokee, and struck an AEP utility pole at 1500 Main.
This pole was broken, and the weight on the wires knocked down a second utility pole. After striking the utility pole, the vehicle crashed into the front walkway steps of the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church at 1600 Main.
There were four passengers in the vehicle that left the scene, but were located hiding in the vicinity. The driver ran away, but was also apprehended. The passengers turned out to be undocumented aliens being smuggled by the driver. They were identified and turned over to Border Patrol agents.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested, and charged with four counts of human smuggling, evading arrest in a vehicle and evading arrest.
He was identified as Gilberto Flores Garza, 27, from 2500 Norton.
