SAN ANTONIO — A suspected human smuggler remains on the run after leading San Antonio-area law enforcement on a chase through at least three counties, according to Atascosa County authorities.
Sheriff David Soward said it all began around 10:15 a.m. Tuesday in Live Oak County before ending in far-west Bexar County, in the area of Loop 1604 and Applewhite Road. Authorities say Atascosa County is a popular corridor used by criminal organizations to move migrants north, further away from the border.
Soward told KENS 5 they've seen an uptick in human smuggling attempts over the last week. But the accused smuggler in Tuesday's chase used a unique strategy, he adds, to try and avoid detection by law enforcement: A bale of hay most likely utilized as a decoy by smugglers trying to blend in as a farmer or rancher.
That plan, Soward says, didn't work. Law enforcement said they were tipped off to a truck traveling north on I-37, out of Live Oak County and towards Pleasanton.
Soward says that truck had been reported stolen in San Antonio. Atascosa County deputies gave chase, and the driver started to navigate backcountry roads in an attempt to elude them.
While the driver approached the Bexar County line, Soward's agency reached out to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office for help. Soon after, deputies from both law enforcement agencies chased the truck until the driver pulled off into a ditch near 1604 and Applewhite.
According to Soward, at least eight people jumped out of the truck and ran. Two migrants were immediately apprehended and taken into custody; both are from Venezuela.
However, the accused human smuggler and at least five others ran off into thick brush nearby, Soward says, and managed to get away. Deputies embarked on an intensive search of the area, utilizing K-9s and a support helicopter, but they weren't able to find anyone else.
It's unclear when exactly the truck was stolen, but Soward told KENS 5 he believes the vehicle was driven from San Antonio down to the border to pick up a group of migrants before heading back north.
The sheriff also said the driver and migrants will most likely hide from the public until they can call someone to retrieve them. If you spot any suspicious individuals on your property, call BCSO at (210)335-6000.
>MORE LOCAL NEWS:
>TRENDING ON KENS 5 YOUTUBE: