Officer-Involved Shooting Leads To Chase, Rollover Wreck

Police are investigating what led to a shooting and a rollover during a routine traffic stop early Thursday morning.

It happened shortly before 4 a.m. on the UTEP campus.

Police spokesman Darrel Petry told ABC-7 that’s when an officer tried pulling over the driver of a black SUV as the driver exited I-10 West at Porfirio Diaz St.

The officer said the driver refused to stop, continuing on until he reached the UTEP campus. He drove over a curb on the roundabout at Sun Bowl Dr. and University Ave. and hit a light pole before eventually stopping in the parking lot west of that intersection.

Petry told ABC-7 when the officer got out of his patrol car and approached the SUV, the driver backed up, hitting the police unit and the officer. The officer shot two rounds before the driver took off east on University. Police are still investigating whether he actually shot the vehicle.

The officer followed the SUV down University. Petry told ABC-7 the vehicle stopped and the passenger got out. Officers detained the passenger and continued pursuing the driver, who ended up flipping his vehicle over on Rim Rd. and University.

Both the driver and passenger were taken to University Medical Center. The police officer was treated at and released from Las Palmas Medical Center.

Police blocked off long stretches of roadway well into the morning. UTEP released the following information for its students:

“As result of a traffic accident on the UTEP campus earlier this morning, the following streets and intersections are temporarily closed:

Sun Bowl Drive at University Avenue (Roundabout) / Parking lot S-3 (across from Kelly Hall)

Hawthorne Street from Rim Road to University Avenue

“It is recommended for East bound traffic to UTEP should exit I-10 at Executive Center Boulevard. West bound traffic should exit at the Downtown exit.

“The Miner Metro stop at Rim Road and Hawthorne Street will be temporarily be rerouted to the entrance at S-1 during this closure.

“Permit holders who normally park or drive in these areas are encouraged to plan ahead to find alternative routes.”

Stay with ABC-7 throughout the day for any updates.