Alice fugitive search ends with arrest of Mark Gonzalez

Alice police ended a fast-moving fugitive search Wednesday after locating and arresting Mark “Rooster” Gonzalez, closing a public-safety alert that began when he slipped away near North Aransas Street and King Street Tuesday night.

Authorities said Gonzalez was wanted for probation violations in both Nueces County and Jim Wells County. The search drew immediate attention because he had recently been arrested on an aggravated-assault-with-a-deadly-weapon charge and had been released from the Jim Wells County Jail with an ankle monitor as one of his conditions.

Police said Gonzalez ran from law enforcement near the intersection after officers tried to take him into custody. Despite a significant police presence in the area, he initially got away, prompting officers to ask the public for help tracking him down as the search stretched from Tuesday night into Wednesday.

Tipsters were directed to the Alice Police Department at 361-664-0186 and told to ask for Cpl. Homero Mendoza. A cash reward was also being offered for information leading to Gonzalez’s arrest. By Wednesday, authorities said Gonzalez had been located and arrested, bringing the active search to an end.

The case highlighted how quickly a local arrest can turn into a broader public-safety issue in Alice, especially when a suspect is already under supervision in more than one county. Jim Wells County’s Community Supervision and Corrections Department is based in Alice, a reminder that probation and monitoring decisions often have direct consequences for neighborhoods around the city.

The ankle monitor condition also underscored the level of supervision Gonzalez had been under before the chase. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice says GPS electronic monitoring is used for offenders under certain supervision conditions and that about 2,900 offenders are monitored with GPS on average statewide.

Alice police brought multiple parts of the department’s structure to bear during the search, including Patrol and Traffic, Support Services and the Gang Unit. The department has been led by Chief Eden Garcia since he was sworn in on March 24, 2021. With Gonzalez back in custody, the immediate concern that had drawn officers and residents’ attention to the North Aransas Street and King Street area was over.