Steve Rodriguez, 26, of 100 N. Wasson Drive, was arrested Tuesday at Scenic Mountain Medical Center on charges of evading arrest and endangering a child.

Sgt. Tony Everett, public information officer with the Big Spring Police Department, said Sunday’s chase began just after 3 p.m. when an officer attempted to pull over the man, who was driving a white Pontiac Grand Prix, for a traffic violation.

“The suspect sped up and got onto the Interstate (Highway 20) and exited somewhere near Moss Lake Road,” said Everett. “The Department of Public Safety and Howard County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the chase.”

Everett said the pursuit ended when the driver of the Grand Prix drove down a dead-end street.

“The suspect exited the vehicle, leaving the 9-year-old child behind,” said Everett. “That’s where the charge of abandoning/endangering a child comes from, as a result of the pursuit. The man took off on foot and is believed to have ingested a substance. He was taken to Scenic Mountain Medical Center, where he was treated.”

Everett said it’s unclear whether Rodriguez did or did not ingest drugs at the end of the chase.

“When a suspect tells us he’s ingested drugs, we have to take them to the hospital,” said Everett. “He told the hospital officials the same thing, so they treated him for ingested chemicals. However, at this time we really have no idea what he swallowed, if anything.”

Police officials initially declined to release Rodriguez’s identity pending his arrest due to the nature of the open investigation.

Contact Staff Writer Thomas Jenkins at 263-7331 ext. 232 or by e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it