Teen Arrested After Stolen Car Chase Ends in Crash in El Paso County

EL PASO, TX – A 17-year-old driver was arrested after leading deputies on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle that ended in a crash on October 18, 2025, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies attempted to stop a white sedan near Rojas Drive and George Dieter Drive after noticing the vehicle’s rear license plate was folded upward and unreadable. The driver refused to pull over and fled, running multiple traffic signals before losing control and crashing near the 10600 block of Causeway Drive. The car overturned after striking shrubbery and an electrical utility box.

Witnesses told investigators they saw two people run from the scene. With help from the El Paso Police Department, both suspects were found shortly afterward. The driver was identified as 17-year-old Jose Octavio Rodriguez, and his passenger was a juvenile male. Deputies later confirmed the vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that evening.

Rodriguez was booked into the Downtown Detention Facility on charges of Unauthorized Use of a Vehicle, Evading Arrest or Detention with a Vehicle, and Duty on Striking Structure, Fixture, or Highway Landscaping ($200 or more). His total bond was set at $35,000. The juvenile passenger was released to his mother.

“Running from law enforcement only makes matters worse,” said Sheriff Oscar Ugarte. “The Sheriff’s Office will use every resource available to locate and arrest those who choose to evade. Accountability and public safety will always remain our top priorities.”