Texas National Guardsman charged with migrant smuggling after high-speed chase in government SUV

A Texas National Guardsman faces multiple charges connected to human smuggling after he was arrested following a high-speed chase in his government SUV near the southern border, officials said. 

Savion Amari Donovan Johnson, 26, was arrested Sunday by the Texas Department of Public Safety officers and Kinney County Sheriff's Deputies following a 15-mile chase that reached speeds of more than 100 miles per hour, the New York Post reported Thursday. 

He was charged with human smuggling, evading arrest and unlawful weapons possession.

The chase ensued after a state trooper tried to pull Johnson over for speeding on a local farm road Sunday afternoon, but he refused to pull over, per an affidavit obtained by The New York Times.

The trooper followed Johnson's silver GMC sport utility vehicle, and after turning onto a state highway and reaching high speeds, the SUV stopped to allow a man to run away on foot before the chase continued, according to the affidavit. The vehicle eventually stopped after it hit spikes that police placed on the road.

Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe said the SUV contained official equipment associated with Texas' border security mission.

"My understanding is that he did have his Operation Lone Star gear in the vehicle," he said.

"It’s not a good thing. But he’s not the first one we’ve picked up that’s associated with the National Guard," Coe added. "We’ve picked up attorneys. Preachers. Old ones, young ones, juveniles. The money is out there."

The person who was let out of the car was an illegal immigrant who later turned himself over to Border Patrol for processing, per NewsNation.

Johnson was reportedly told he would be paid up to $6,000 for smuggling the person.

Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, said: "If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and criminal." 

If convicted, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, but Mahaleris said: "He deserves more."

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