5 in custody after pursuit, robberies

Five young people were arrested after a high-speed chase Wednesday that followed a string of armed robberies in El Paso.

The chase crossed the state line into New Mexico.

The juveniles — four boys and girl — are suspected in four armed robberies that included shots fired from what turned out to be a pellet gun at a convenience store on the East Side, law enforcement officials in El Paso and Otero County said. The ages of the people arrested were not immediately available.

Detective Javier Sambrano, a police spokesman, said that the case is under investigation and that the spree is suspected of starting in Northeast El Paso at about 1 p.m. with a robbery at a 7-Eleven store at 5110 Hondo Pass near Railroad Drive.

The spree continued a couple of hours later on the East Side with a robbery at about 3 p.m. at a Game Stop store in the 2000 block of Lee Treviño Drive, Sambrano said.

At about 3:20 p.m., a Burger King was robbed at 1135 N. Yarbrough near Gateway West Boulevard, police said. At about 3:30 p.m., shots shattered windows during the robbery of a Howdy's convenience store at 1001 McRae by Gateway West.

Sometime after 4 p.m., a vehicle allegedly driven by the robbery suspects was spotted by an El Paso police officer working in street clothes in the 4200 block of Titanic Avenue in the Northeast, Sambrano said.

"As the officer attempted to make contact, an individual pulled out what appeared to be a handgun, which we later learned was a pellet gun," Sambrano said. No shots were fired and a vehicle chase began.

About 30 law enforcement vehicles from several agencies were involved in the chase that hit speeds of up to 90 mph as a red Dodge Nitro drove north on U.S. 54 into New Mexico, Otero County Sheriff Benny House said.

"It is reported that the subjects had pointed a gun at law enforcement in Texas and possibly in New Mexico and started tossing evidence of their crimes, which included weapons, out the window," House said. Investigators were checking the highway for the items tossed, he said.

When the Dodge got to the Border Patrol checkpoint on U.S. 54, it avoided the line going into the checkpoint by staying left and remaining on the highway, House said.

"We deployed spike strips at a couple locations on the route and, basically, we got two of the tires of the vehicle," House said.

The Dodge came to a stop at about mile marker 45, north of the checkpoint, House said.

The suspects were taken into custody, House said. Two were arrested about 150 yards into the desert when they ran from the stopped vehicle. Three remained in the vehicle.

"It was kids and thank goodness that no one got injured," House said. "Hopefully, they learn from this once the dust settles."

The chase included officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Otero County Sheriff's Office, the New Mexico State Police, the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the U.S. Border Patrol.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at 546-6102; dborunda@elpasotimes.com; @BorundaDaniel on Twitter.

Staff writer Luis Carlos Lopez contributed to this report.