New documents detail the law enforcement operation that led to a chase that killed an innocent 44-year-old woman, the first death of an innocent bystander in El Paso, Texas, since the start of Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star three years ago.

According to police documents, it appears law enforcement had been following 17-year-old Joseph Maldonado, from El Paso County, inconspicuously before they attempted to pull him over, triggering a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash, killing innocent bystander Wendy J. Rodriguez.

The documents describe that, on the morning of Oct. 4, U.S. Border Patrol agents and a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter had been following a group of six migrants hiding in the brush outside a restaurant in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, behind a Travelodge hotel.

Documents allege that around 7:50 a.m., Maldonado, driving a red 2010 Dodge Charger, parked in the lot and picked up the migrants from the brush.

The Texas DPS helicopter then reportedly followed Maldonado for five miles as he drove down a highway, crossing the New Mexico-Texas state line.

According to the documents, it was at this point that the helicopter informed Texas DPS patrol units on the ground of Maldonado’s whereabouts, leading a trooper to attempt a traffic stop because the Charger’s high-mounted brake lights were defective or noncompliant.

When the trooper tried to pull the Charger over, Maldonado allegedly floored the accelerator and tried to get away, weaving in and out of traffic until he ran a red light at an intersection and crashed into two vehicles, a blue Toyota Corolla and a white Chevrolet pickup truck.

After the crash, the document states that troopers arrested Maldonado and the six migrants as they climbed out of the Charger.

At the same time, first responders tried to rescue Rodriguez, who was unresponsive and trapped inside the Corolla.

According to the documents, emergency crews had to use an extraction tool to free Rodriguez before rushing her to the hospital. Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the hospital.

After the incident, troopers interviewed Maldonado at a secured Texas DPS facility.

According to the documents, Maldonado admitted to human smuggling, adding that he was getting paid $300 per migrant and was communicating with them through WhatsApp.

Maldonado is facing murder, human smuggling, and evading arrest charges.

The six apprehended migrants were mostly from Mexico; one was from Guatemala, and they ranged in age from 18 to 37.

They were also taken to the hospital, but reportedly only suffered minor injuries.

As the first recorded death of an innocent bystander during a Texas DPS chase in El Paso, the incident drew scrutiny from local political leaders.

El Paso Congresswoman Veronica Escobar said she was “heartbroken” and added that she has been “sounding the alarm that high-speed vehicle pursuits in urban areas put innocent people at grave risk.”

She also pointed out that incidents like these are why numerous law enforcement agencies, including the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, have stopped engaging in high-speed pursuits.

On the day of the incident, KFOX spoke with community members who said they have become accustomed to these chases and crashes.

“I see these types of accidents every single day when I’m heading to work. … I live right down the street. There’s always DPS in the corners like 24/7, so I mean it distracts drivers,” said El Paso resident Ricardo Gonzalez, adding, “I wish there was a different approach.”

Another El Paso resident said she is afraid of seeing her family members caught in the middle of a dangerous DPS chase.

“It can happen to everybody, like everyone. So of course, nobody wants them to happen to them or their families,” said Yukare Coronado.