Deputies reported that after a chase through Cochise County on Wednesday night, a guy was taken into custody on allegations of human smuggling and other offenses.
Deputies attempted to pull over a Chevy Camaro for a traffic infraction on Highway 80 north of Tombstone at around 9:13 p.m., according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver, subsequently identified as Mesa resident Efren David Cosme Malohua, 21, didn’t stop and accelerated to 120 miles per hour as he passed and forced other cars off the road. The Tombstone Marshal’s Office and deputies pursued further.
It was said that when it drew closer to mile marker 305, an unidentified individual dressed in camouflage stepped out of the car and started to walk away. After that, Malohua took off once more, hitting top speeds of 120 miles per hour and turning the headlights on and off.
Thirty of Malohua’s four tires were struck by tire deflation devices that were used by Department of Public Safety Troopers around three kilometers later.
Malohua was hauled out of the car and put into custody once the vehicle had stopped.
His accusations included felony human smuggling, unauthorized flight, and misdemeanor careless driving. He was taken into the Cochise County Jail.
Surviving on a $50,000 bond, Malohua stays under arrest.
Regarding the second individual, no information has been made public regarding what preceded the pursuit. The investigation is still underway.