LAREDO, Webb County, Texas, Sept. 24, 2026 — A high-speed chase on Interstate 35 ended in a crash under an overpass in central Laredo on Wednesday afternoon, September 23. Two people in the vehicle that was struck were taken to a Laredo hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening.
The Texas Department of Public Safety said the chase began after U.S. Border Patrol agents spotted a black Lincoln traveling more than 100 mph on I-35 and notified state troopers. DPS Sgt. Erick Estrada said troopers tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver kept going, setting off the pursuit.
The chase ended near the overpass at Calton Road and San Dario Avenue, where the fleeing vehicle collided with another car, according to investigators. Four people were detained at the scene, including two people believed to have been driving and two others described by officials as undocumented migrants. Two more people believed to be undocumented migrants ran from the scene and had not been located as of Wednesday afternoon.
The crash remains under investigation. No charges had been announced as of Wednesday afternoon.
Our thoughts are with those who were injured, and we wish them a full recovery.
What Actually Cuts Down Injuries in High-Speed Chase Crashes
Chase-related crashes tend to end badly because they combine high speed with little warning for other drivers on the road. But the injury outcome usually comes down to something simpler: whether the people involved were buckled in and whether their vehicles had modern safety systems working as designed.
Seat belts and airbags remain the biggest factors separating a serious injury from a fatal one in a high-speed impact. Newer vehicles with side curtain airbags, reinforced door structures, and electronic stability control are built to keep occupants inside the vehicle and reduce the force that reaches them during a collision. Road design also plays a role away from the moment of impact, since better lighting under overpasses, clearer sightlines at merge points, and barriers separating opposing traffic can lessen the odds that a pursuit ends in a crash with an uninvolved driver.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 6,138,359 police-reported traffic crashes occurred in 2023. Pursuit-related crashes are a small share of that total, but they share the same variables that determine severity in any high-speed collision: belt use, vehicle protection, and how much space exists between vehicles when something goes wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should someone do if they're involved in a crash caused by a fleeing vehicle?
Call 911 immediately, move to a safe location if possible, and avoid confronting anyone involved in the pursuit. Wait for law enforcement to arrive and document the scene if it's safe to do so.
What injuries are common in high-speed crashes like this one?
Common injuries include head trauma, broken bones, and whiplash, usually worsened by the speed at impact. Seat belts and airbags significantly lower the risk of severe injury in these collisions.
How does speed affect how serious a crash turns out to be?
Higher speed increases both the force of impact and the distance needed to stop, giving drivers less time to react. Crashes above 60 mph are far more likely to cause serious or fatal injuries than lower-speed collisions.
What to Do After a Chase-Related Car Accident in Laredo, TX
If you're involved in a crash connected to a police pursuit in Laredo, start by checking yourself and any passengers for injuries and calling 911. Even if injuries seem minor, a medical evaluation afterward can catch issues like concussions or internal injuries that aren't obvious right away. Get a copy of the police report once it's available, since it will include details from responding officers that can matter later. Keep track of any medical visits, vehicle damage, or missed work tied to the crash, and reach out to your insurance company to start the claims process.
