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Driver dead after Rockwall County shooting, pursuit ends in power pole crash

More than 4,000 households, businesses in Royse City lost power after the crash.

Update:
5:52 p.m. Oct. 1, 2024: Revised to include additional information from police.

A pursuit by Rockwall County deputies ended Monday evening in Royse City after the driver crashed into a power pole, knocking out electricity for a “large portion” of city residents north of Interstate 30, authorities said.

The driver was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead from a self-inflicted gunshot, Rockwall County sheriff’s office spokesperson Jim Barto said in a statement Tuesday.

The driver was identified as 19-year-old Rodrigo Steven Herrera Beitran, Chief Deputy Keith McKnight said in a statement.

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The pursuit began after a Rockwall County deputy attempted to make a traffic stop of a vehicle with an obscured temporary tag. The driver drove off and a passenger shot multiple times at the deputy, Barto said.

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The deputy, who was not struck by the gunfire, began pursuing the vehicle as the driver headed north on FM 548. The passenger jumped out of the moving vehicle near State Highway 276, Barto said.

The driver continued, reaching speeds of more than 90 mph, before crashing near the intersection of FM 548 and I-30. The Texas Department of Public Safety dispatched a helicopter to assist with the pursuit, which lasted about nine minutes, Barto said.

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“Officers approached after it was determined the driver was no longer moving and he was removed from the vehicle,” Barto said.

Emergency medical responders found the passenger “bloodied and injured.” The passenger was transported to a hospital, Barto said.

McKnight said the passenger was identified as Ezekiel Angel Hernandez, 18, of Mesquite. He is facing an aggravated assault against a public servant, jail records show. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.

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No other injuries were reported. Deputies did not fire their weapons during the incident, Barto and McKnight said.

Royse City police assisted toward the end of the pursuit, Chief Kirk Aldridge said in a statement Tuesday. He deferred further questions to the Rockwall County sheriff’s office.

More than 4,000 households and businesses lost power due to the driver crashing into the power pole and knocking down power lines, said Andy Morgan, an Oncor spokesperson.

A responding line crew rerouted power and returned electricity to most of the affected Oncor customers in less than two hours. Power was returned to the remaining households and businesses by Tuesday morning, Morgan said.

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