The Brief
- An Austin man was arrested in Maverick County for human smuggling after a traffic stop.
- His passenger was identified as a Honduran national wanted for attempted murder, domestic assault, and child abuse in Colorado.
- The passenger, Juan Carlos Rivera Garcia, also had a history of illegal entry and a prior deportation.
AUSTIN – An Austin man was arrested and charged with human smuggling after Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers stopped his vehicle and found he was transporting a Honduran national wanted for attempted murder in Colorado, DPS announced Friday. The incident occurred as part of Operation Lone Star in Maverick County.
Traffic Stop Leads to Discovery
What we know:
The arrest happened on Thursday, June 19, 2025, shortly after 9:30 p.m., when a DPS Trooper initiated a traffic stop on a white Toyota RAV4 SUV for a traffic violation on US-57 in Eagle Pass. During the stop, the trooper learned the vehicle’s driver, identified as Henry Salazar, 34, of Austin, Texas, was engaged in human smuggling.
With assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, the passenger was identified as Juan Carlos Rivera Garcia, 42, of Honduras.
Passenger Identified as Wanted Fugitive
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