Three Men Who Fled Coke County Pursuit ‘Highly Unlikely’ Still In Area

ROBERT LEE, TX — Three unidentified men who bailed out of a pickup truck and fled on foot during a traffic stop and high-speed pursuit in Coke County remain at large, but authorities say it is “highly unlikely” they are still in the area. 

The update states that Sheriff Williams was on routine patrol on FM 2034 around 6 a.m. Friday when he spotted a white Ford F-150 traveling above the posted speed limit, according to a news release. He attempted a traffic stop at the intersection of FM 2034 and State Highway 158. 

After the vehicle stopped and emergency lights were activated, three unidentified male passengers exited the rear seat and fled on foot from both the driver and passenger sides. 

The driver and a front-seat passenger then sped westbound toward Sterling City at a high rate of speed. The pursuit lasted approximately five miles before the vehicle stopped. The driver, identified as Andres Navarro-Garcia, surrendered peacefully. 

Navarro-Garcia was taken to the Tom Green County Jail and booked on a third-degree felony charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. He is also being held on an ICE detainer after admitting to being in the United States illegally, the release said. The front-seat passenger was released after deputies confirmed his legal U.S. status. 

The sheriff’s office believes the three men who fled on foot may have done so due to their immigration status. Multiple agencies assisted in the search, including the Sterling County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens. The men were not located. 

Later that afternoon, around 3 p.m., a resident in the Edith area reported seeing a male subject hiding in bushes before walking across a property. Deputies, DPS troopers and game wardens responded with drones and conducted a four-hour search but could not locate him. Authorities could not confirm any connection to the earlier incident. 

The sheriff’s office said there have been no further updates or confirmed sightings related to the three unidentified men.