Footage of a Texas woman leading state troopers on a chase exceeding 100 mph with an infant in her SUV is attracting renewed attention online, more than eight years after the incident occurred. A YouTube upload of the pursuit has drawn more than 62,500 views, bringing the dramatic encounter back before viewers.
The chase happened June 15, 2018, in San Antonio, near Lackland Air Force Base. It ended with a crash, a woman running across a roadway carrying an infant in a car seat, and an attempted escape in another vehicle that already had a child inside.
The driver, identified in contemporaneous reporting as 29-year-old Caitlyn Rodriguez, had outstanding arrest warrants when a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to stop her. Instead of pulling over, she accelerated onto Highway 90.
Helicopter footage released by the department in August 2018 captured the pursuit from above, including the increasingly dangerous maneuvers that preceded her arrest.
A Dangerous Escape
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The helicopter crew tracked Rodriguez as she drove a Mercedes SUV through traffic at speeds exceeding 100 mph.
During the pursuit, an officer aboard the aircraft warned that she had nearly struck another vehicle while passing.
A trooper deployed a tire-deflation device, damaging the Mercedes’ front tire. Rodriguez briefly drove off the roadway but managed to regain control and continued fleeing.
She eventually turned onto Military Drive, where the helicopter crew reported that she was driving into oncoming traffic and crossing the center median.
Despite the damaged tire, Rodriguez continued through an intersection against a red light.
The pursuit ended when her Mercedes struck the rear of a pickup truck stopped at an intersection.
Baby In Tow
Rodriguez climbed out of the crashed Mercedes and retrieved an infant from the back seat.
Rather than remaining at the crash scene, she ran southbound along Military Drive carrying the baby in a car seat.
The helicopter crew immediately alerted troopers on the ground that she was fleeing with the child.
As she crossed the roadway, Rodriguez approached a white Nissan Xterra and climbed into its passenger compartment.
The Nissan’s driver was another woman who also had a child in her vehicle.
According to KSAT’s original September 2018 reporting, Rodriguez attempted to carjack the Nissan while still carrying the infant.
The other driver exited the vehicle and retrieved her own child as troopers converged on the scene.
One trooper positioned a patrol vehicle in front of the Nissan, preventing another escape.
Other troopers approached the vehicle and removed Rodriguez while securing the infant.
During the confrontation, the helicopter crew confirmed over the radio that the baby was safe.
What Happened Next
Rodriguez was arrested and charged with child endangerment, evading arrest, and possession of a controlled substance.
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s account, published by ABC News in September 2018, confirmed that the infant was released to Child Protective Services following the arrest.
The arrest and charges were documented in contemporary reporting, but the available sources do not establish how the criminal cases were ultimately resolved. An arrest or criminal charge does not constitute a finding of guilt.