Bexar County deputies say two suspected car burglars were found dead after crashing a car while trying to flee a neighborhood early Sunday morning.
SAN ANTONIO — Two people suspected of burglarizing vehicles in a Bexar County neighborhood early Sunday morning died after crashing while trying to flee deputies, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar.
Salazar said the call came in around 4 a.m. Sunday for possible burglars in action. A caller reported seeing two men in an older-model Toyota driving through the neighborhood, checking door handles and breaking into vehicles.
The sheriff said investigators also have video showing the two suspects going into driveways, checking doors and burglarizing cars.
When a deputy arrived near the intersection of Blacktail Crest and Bonita Bend, Salazar said the deputy spotted the Toyota, which was described as blacked out, speeding away from the area.
The deputy turned to pursue the vehicle and activated his overhead lights, but reported losing sight of it moments later.
A second deputy in the area then saw the same vehicle speeding through the intersection, Salazar said.
By the time deputies reached the crash scene, the sheriff said the Toyota had already wrecked, and both suspects were found critically injured. They were pronounced dead at the scene.
Salazar said both men appear to be young men, but neither had been identified as of Sunday. Investigators also believe the Toyota may have been stolen, though that had not yet been confirmed.
Meanwhile, deputies were canvassing the neighborhood Sunday morning and continued finding vehicles that had been burglarized overnight.
The sheriff said both suspects were wearing gloves, which investigators believe supports the theory that they had been breaking into cars before the crash.
As is standard procedure, the deputy who activated his lights will be placed on administrative leave and later moved to administrative duty while the case is reviewed.
Salazar said the sheriff’s office Internal Affairs Division and Public Integrity Unit are conducting separate investigations because the case involves a custodial death.
At this point, Salazar said it appears deputies followed department policy, though the investigations are still ongoing.
“It’s certainly a tragic loss of life,” Salazar said, adding that the two men died after making “very, very poor choices.”