A member of the National Guard is accused of smuggling a migrant across the border into Texas while deployed to prevent asylum seekers from entering the United States, and his arrest was captured in dramatic footage.
Specialist Savion Amari Donovan Johnson, 26, was arrested around 3:45 p.m. Sunday after a high-speed chase with police in Brackettville, Texas.
Texas Department of Public Safety and Kinney County Sheriff’s deputies pursued him after he abruptly turned in front of a checkpoint on Highway 674.
His sudden change of course was suspicious and his pursuit led to a 15-mile chase at speeds over 100 mph.
Sheriff Brad Coe confirmed that Johnson was a member of the Texas National Guard assigned to Operation Lone Star, which aims to prevent migrants from crossing the border at the Eagle Pass crossing.
Dramatic body camera and dash camera footage showed Johnson being pulled out of his silver GMC SUV he was given to work after he was eventually stopped by road spikes.
Savion Amari Donovan Johnson, 26 (pictured in white) was arrested around 3:45 pm Sunday after a high-speed chase with local police in Brackettville, Texas.
Dramatic body camera and dash camera footage showed Johnson being pulled from his silver GMC SUV after it was eventually stopped by road spikes.
‘Why are you running, friend?’ the arresting KCSO deputy asked as he handcuffed Johnson behind his back as he lay face down in the grass.
“I was very, very scared,” he responded.
Other police officers in the background said they saw a Hispanic man fleeing south.
“I’m so fucking stupid,” Johnson said, to which the deputy agreed: “Yeah, you’re so fucking stupid, man.”
‘Do you know how many people you could have killed, man? Jesus Christ.’
Johnson told officers he had no weapons, but had one in his car. He was then loaded into the back of the KCSO vehicle.
Other officers were then seen searching the car and attempting to locate the fleeing migrant.
The sheriff’s deputy pulls Johnson out of the car and throws him to the ground.
Johnson, a member of the Texas National Guard, is handcuffed as the officer reprimands him for the high-speed chase.
Authorities discovered he was from the Texas National Guard while searching through his belongings and finding official identification and equipment. The deputy also photographed a gun lying on the passenger seat.
Johnson, who lives in San Antonio, was allegedly offered between $5,000 and $6,000 to take the man across the border undetected, police said.
The man he was allegedly transporting later surrendered to authorities to be processed by Border Patrol agents.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office lashed out at Johnson in a strongly worded statement after his arrest.
“If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and a criminal,” said press secretary Andrew Mahaleris.
‘We have zero tolerance for Texans who violate laws that directly contradict the mission we seek to achieve.
‘The defendant’s illegal smuggling may subject him to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 10 years. He deserves more.’
Police discovered he was from the Texas National Guard while going through his belongings and finding official identification and equipment.
Johnson was attached to the 100th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment and recorded several videos of guard exercises.
Coe said Johnson had his Texas National Guard equipment in the car and was not the first guard his office had caught allegedly smuggling contraband. He added that people from all walks of life, including lawyers and preachers, were trying to make money from smuggling.
‘We don’t know what is happening in their lives to make them do this. But they are going to catch them,’ he stated.
Johnson was charged with human trafficking, felony evading arrest and illegal weapons possession.
An arrest affidavit said a state trooper attempted to pull him over for speeding, prompting the chase, and the guard slowed down to let the migrant jump out.
It is unclear whether Johnson could have smuggled migrants across the border without being caught.