WACO, Texas — A teenager wanted by Waco police for a hit-and-run case was arrested early Wednesday morning by U.S. Customs and Border Protection as the suspect entered the U.S.
18-year-old Oscar Valentin Lopez was wanted for aggravated assault (2nd-degree felony), failure to stop and render aid (3rd-degree felony) and evading in a motor vehicle (3rd-degree felony) in relation to a hit-and-run incident Aug. 30 in Waco.
Waco police was informed by U.S. CPB that Lopez attempted to come back into the U.S. after being in Mexico for an unknown amount of time. He did so by crossing through the Laredo checkpoint. Once he was arrested he was taken to the Webb County Sheriff's Department and is now being held in the Webb County Jail.
Police said Lopez will be brought back to Waco to face his charges.
Waco police identified the teen as the person who was speeding in a truck on Valley Mills Dr. and later hit a pedestrian when he crashed Aug. 30.
Police said an officer identified Lopez as a suspected drunk driver traveling north on Valley Mills. The suspect turned northbound on Wooded Acres Drive.
The officer activated his siren on Wooded Acres and the suspect vehicle continued and tried to flee from the officer, who then initiated a pursuit near the intersection of Wooded Acres and Bosque.
The suspect continued to the intersection of Wooded Acres and Bishop then immediately turned left onto Arroyo where it hit a pedestrian. The driver fled the scene on foot.
“The officer had been instructed to terminate the pursuit,” Waco Police Chief Frank Gentsch said. “In a time frame of less than 15 seconds after that order, the officer observed the truck first spin out and the officer continued to that location. The truck then turned onto Arroyo. During that brief period, the officer had not yet deactivated his vehicle’s lights and siren.”
The pedestrian suffered serious injuries and was taken to the hospital, according to police.
Police said a passenger in the truck stayed at the scene and was cooperative.
After Lopez was identified, officers actively searched for him but did not get cooperation from his family.
Waco Police later said Lopez was released from the Webb County Jail Wednesday afternoon after making bond. A county judge in Webb County set a bond for Lopez of only $40,000 for all three charges and Lopez was able to get that amount to get released from custody.
According to Waco Police, this all happened after they spoke to Webb County about holding Lopez at the Webb County Jail. It also comes after arrangements were made with McLennan County Sheriff’s Office to take Lopez back to Waco as early as Thursday.