Suspect Arrested After Austin Police Chase Injures Officer

Austin police have identified the suspect involved in a Friday traffic pursuit that left an officer injured.

A spokesperson for the Austin Police Department said officers spotted a vehicle driven by a suspected intoxicated driver around 2:26 a.m. in the 4000 block of South First Street, near Ben White Boulevard. When officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver accelerated and fled, prompting a pursuit involving an APD helicopter and multiple patrol units.

During the chase, an APD patrol vehicle collided with another vehicle near U.S. 183 and Great Hills. The officer was taken to a hospital with minor injuries and later released. The other driver was evaluated at the scene and reported no injuries.

Police identified the suspect as 36-year-old Alexander Emilio Perez. He was eventually detained in Leander, near East New Hope Drive and South Block House Drive off U.S. 183 — nearly 30 miles from where the pursuit began. Perez was taken to a hospital and later booked into the Travis County Jail.

According to jail records, Perez remained in custody as of Monday morning. He is charged with evading arrest or detention with a vehicle — a third-degree felony — along with multiple traffic offenses. Records also show he is being held for other agencies on two additional felony charges outside Travis County.