A high-speed chase through East Bexar County turned into a deadly gun battle when a suspect opened fire on Texas state troopers after giving a fake name during a routine traffic stop.
The Texas Department of Public Safety has now released intense dashcam and helicopter footage from the February 18 incident, showing just how fast things spiraled out of control.
It all started when 33-year-old Ernest Manuel Montelongo was pulled over by troopers. Instead of coming clean, he gave them a fake name—and then floored it.
Troopers lost sight of him for a moment, but a DPS chopper quickly picked up the trail. Montelongo then made a dangerous move, crossing a highway and driving the wrong way down Interstate 10, putting countless lives at risk.
Eventually, two troopers managed to stop his vehicle—but that’s when things exploded into violence.
Gunfire erupted between Montelongo and one of the DPS troopers. Both were hit in the shootout. The wounded trooper was airlifted to University Hospital and survived thanks to rapid response.
Montelongo, however, wasn’t so lucky. He was taken to a local hospital, but died the following day.
The bodycam and aerial footage show the chaos as it unfolded—and you can watch it all below.
