The deaths of four teenagers killed in a high-speed pursuit on State Highway 31 in Smith County have been formally ruled “accidental” and “caused by law enforcement personnel,” according to newly released reports from the state. The Office of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released custodial death reports on Friday, detailing the incident from the early morning hours of September 27. The medical cause of death for the four teenagers remains pending.
The four teens who died were identified as Jaffet Cuarenta, 17, of Tyler; Adrielle Vazquez, 17, of Tyler; Emigdio Gutierrez, 17, of Tyler; and Jaiden Rodriguez, 15, of Smith County.
The fatal crash on Highway 31 followed a pursuit that began after Tyler Police Department officers responded to a suspicious noise call around 3:43 a.m. on September 27. The call, concerning gunshots in the 1500 block of Lake Placid Road, involved a caller who described the suspect vehicle as a 2009 Nissan coupe. The custodial death report states there were multiple shooters and victims at the scene.
Upon officers' arrival, the Nissan Maxima, occupied by the four teenagers, fled. Witnesses at the scene identified the occupants of the vehicle as the shooters, according to the report. Officers attempted to stop the Maxima, but the teenagers continued to evade, leading authorities on a high-speed pursuit along State Highway 31.
The pursuit ended when an officer executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver. The report indicates this tactic was used because the driver’s behavior was “hazardous” and due to other information known at the time. The PIT maneuver, a driving tactic used by law enforcement to stop a fleeing car, “redirected” the Maxima. This action caused the driver to over-steer to the right, sending the vehicle off the roadway where it subsequently struck a tree.
Three of the teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The fourth teenager was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after. The Tyler Police Department had previously reported that a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper was the officer who utilized the PIT maneuver.
The custodial death report indicates that the teens would have faced charges including attempted murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and evading arrest or detention with a motor vehicle. The report also alleges that the teenagers discharged a firearm during the incident and lists the type of custody as pre-custodial use of force.
The victims of the initial shooting on Lake Placid Road sustained non-life-threatening injuries. They were identified as a 17-year-old male from Tyler and an 18-year-old female from Smith County. Their names were withheld by the police department. The medical cause of death for the four teenagers involved in the crash remains pending.
