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Harris County Sheriff's Office provides update on ICE crash
The Harris County Sheriff's Office provided an update on what led to a crash involving ICE in northwest Harris County on Thursday morning.
HOUSTON - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were involved in a minor crash in Harris County on Thursday morning while attempting to apprehend a man, officials say.
The man was taken into custody by ICE and taken to the hospital after complaining of pain.
The Harris County Sheriff's Office's Vehicular Crimes Division is investigating the crash.
ICE agents involved in crash
What we know:
The incident unfolded around 6:40 a.m. in the 12400 block of Old Foltin Road, near Antoine Drive and SH 249.
When deputies arrived, they found two ICE agents in separate unmarked government vehicles and a blue Ford pickup truck.
According to investigators, the ICE agents were attempting to stop a man who they described as being in the country illegally with prior deportation orders.
The sheriff's office says the man fled when agents activated the emergency lights on their unmarked vehicles.
The pursuit only lasted about 200 feet southbound on Old Fulton before the pickup truck lost control and ran off the roadway into the dirt, officials say.
The sheriff's office says the driver briefly regained control and got back on the road before the front right side of an ICE agent's vehicle struck the back left side of the pickup truck.
Both vehicles sustained minor damage.
The sheriff's office says the man then parked his truck along the road and ran for a couple hundred feet before ICE agents apprehended him.
Investigators say the man, who is believed to be around 50 years old, complained of pain after the crash and was taken to a local hospital by ICE agents. The sheriff's office says the ICE agents reported that the man did not suffer any injuries from the crash.
The man remains in ICE custody.
What we don't know:
The man's identity has not been released, and investigators have not provided additional information about his immigration history or prior deportation orders.
Investigators have not yet reviewed body camera footage or video from ICE agents, but the sheriff's office says that could be part of the ongoing investigation.
Will charges be filed following the crash?
What's next:
HCSO Lt. B. Bondurant says the sheriff's office is not currently pursuing criminal charges related to the crash.
"The preliminary investigation appears to be just a minor crash," Bondurant said.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office has been notified of the incident.
Bondurant says the sheriff's office will continue investigating the crash and could present the case to prosecutors if necessary.
"We'll conduct a thorough investigation just like we do for every single event there is, whether or not it's ICE or not," Bondurant said. "And if need be we'll present to the district attorney's office for charges."
DHS releases statement
The other side:
A DHS spokesperson released a statement late Thursday afternoon to FOX 26 saying,
"On October 22, during a targeted enforcement operation in Northwest Houston, ICE officers activated emergency lights and sirens and attempted a vehicle stop of Luis Eduardo Villanueva Loredo, a 52-year-old Mexican national who is in the U.S. illegally. Attempting to evade law enforcement, Villanueva drove into a ditch. Federal officers pulled over, believing the vehicle was stuck in the ditch. Moments later, Villanueva’s vehicle pulled out of the ditch and struck the front driver’s side of the ICE vehicle. Villaneuva then exited and fled on foot. Officers pursued and safely took him into custody after a short foot chase.
While waiting for local law enforcement to investigate the collision, Villanueva complained of chest pains. Officers called EMS, which arrived shortly thereafter, found nothing wrong on scene, and transported him to a local hospital as a precaution. Villanueva previously entered the U.S. illegally and was voluntarily returned to Mexico on March 26, 2007.
Villanueva Loredo illegally entered the U.S. at an unknown date and location. He was previously granted a voluntary return to Mexico in 2007.
We have seen a highly coordinated campaign of violence against our law enforcement. Our brave law enforcement is facing more than a 1,600% increase in assaults, 3,300% increase in vehicular attacks, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them. This violence must end. Anybody who lays a hand on our officers or tries to obstruct them is committing a felony and a federal crime.
ICE law enforcement officers are trained to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve dangerous situations to prioritize the safety of the public and our officers. Officers are highly trained in de-escalation tactics and regularly receive ongoing use of force training.
Resisting officers and evading arrest is dangerous for our officers, illegal aliens, and the public. These dangerous attempts to evade arrest come after sanctuary politicians held webinars and provided resources and tips for how to openly defy ICE:
• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosted a webinar in February 2025 providing tips for illegal aliens to evade arrests at homes, workplaces, or in public.
• Dan Goldman posted a video online calling on illegal aliens to make a plan for ICE encounters.
• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued multilingual flyers and online resources advising illegal aliens on how to evade arrest.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom released guides and sanctuary laws advising illegal aliens how to recognize ICE, block entry, and defy arrest."
The Source: The information in this article comes from a press conference by Lt. B. Bondurant with the Harris County Sheriff's Office, and a statement from a DHS spokesperson.