2 men charged after allegedly leading police on chase in stolen truck, ending in shootout

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two 20-year-olds were charged for their alleged roles in a chase that ended in a shootout with police on Wednesday afternoon.

Eric Meza was charged with theft, and Nathan Ybarra was charged with felony evading arrest in a motor vehicle, according to the Houston Police Department.

Investigators said HPD Officer I. Sosa-Castillo was involved in a shootout with the two theft suspects along the East Freeway.

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Video shows the moment an accused car thief was taken into custody, after his alleged accomplice led police on chase in a stolen truck.

Authorities said it all started at about 12:30 p.m. as a proactive auto theft investigation near Interstate 10 and Mercury.

According to police, officers spotted Meza and Ybarra in an SUV engaged in suspicious behavior "like professionals who do this all the time."

Meza and Ybarra were leaving a parking lot in a stolen red Dodge truck when officers tried to block the cars, prompting a chase.

The red truck was caught on traffic cameras weaving in and out of traffic at high speeds until the suspect gave up near U.S. 59 and Eastway Village Drive.

SkyEye flew over that active scene, where HPD units and the red pickup stopped on the feeder road.

Meza, whom police boxed in at the original scene, allegedly drove toward Sosa-Castillo with a shotgun, who then fired at him.

"Officer discharges two times. Suspect stops right here and bails out of the car and runs on foot," HPD Assistant Chief Megan Howard said.

Meza dodged cars and trucks as he ran across multiple lanes of I-10, through parking lots, across a ditch, and into a backyard.

Police eventually found Meza under a mattress in an unused garage next door. Video shared only with ABC13 shows officers escorting the shirtless suspect to custody.

No one was hurt in the chase or by the gunfire, police said.

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