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Men took 1-year-old boy along for ride during Harlingen drug chase
Posted: 03.22.2011 at 6:19 PM
Sergio Chapa

Sergio is KGBT's Interactive Manager and a reporter for VALLEYCENTRAL.COM.

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Jose Alberto Torres (left) / Miguel Angel Alcala-Mendoza (right)
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Three men are behind bars after they took a 1-year-old boy along for the ride during a drug chase injured in Harlingen.

Cameron County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested Rafael Hernandez, Jose Alberto Torres and Miguel Angel Alcala-Mendoza late Monday afternoon.

Court records released on Tuesday show that Torres was stopped for a defective tail light while he was driving a grey Chevrolet Tahoe off the Expressway 83 in Harlingen.

A deputy spotted a marijuana bundle in backseat. That’s when Hernandez jumped into the driver’s seat, put the SUV in reverse and almost hit the deputy.

Authorities chased the SUV down Dixieland Road where Hernandez ignored traffic signals and other cars.

The chase ended a couple of blocks south of Dixieland Park where Alcala-Mendez bailed out and ran with his 1-year-old son.

Hernandez is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday morning but deputies charged both Torres and Alcala-Mendoza with possession of marijuana and child endangerment.

Jail records show that Torres was released from the Cameron County Jail after posting $40,000 dollars in bonds.

Alcala-Mendoza remains in custody under $17,500 dollars in bonds and a U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer.

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