Suspect leads police on car pursue through South, Southeast San Antonio
by Fox San Antonio
Police were caught up in a car pursue with a suspect that spanned the city’s South and Southeast Sides on Thursday morning (Fox San Antonio).
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SAN ANTONIO – Police were caught up in a car pursue with a suspect that spanned the city’s South and Southeast Sides on Thursday morning.
The pursue began on the South Side near I-35 and Division. The pursue seemed to be slow-going, but quickly escalated when the suspect evidently attempted to harm some of the officers involved. The suspect then traveled up to Highway ninety before heading south on I-37. The suspect drove around the area of Southeast Military Drive and Roosevelt Avenue. Initial reports from the scene indicated the the suspect attempted to ram patrol cars, and some officers said shots were fired albeit it was unclear whether anyone was hurt.
By 11:30 a.m., the pursue took a bizarre turn when the suspect evidently stopped at a gas station to pack up, then took a car from someone else. By twelve p.m., the suspect was heading toward the the city’s North Side. It ended in a remote area near Loop one thousand six hundred four and Northwest Military Highway. The suspect was taken into custody, but not much else is known about the person who led officers on a dramatic pursue through San Antonio.
News Conference: SAPD Chief William McManus provides details about pursue, capture of suspect
San Antonio Police Chief William McManus provided the following information during the news conference:
Two officers on South Patrol near Roosevelt and South Presa spotted the driver of a car pointing a gun at a passenger inwards the vehicle whose palms were up. When the officers approached, the driver sped off in the vehicle with the passenger.
The officers pursued the vehicle but lost view of it. A brief time later, the vehicle was spotted by a Park Police officer near I-35 and Division. Police then launched their Eagle helicopter to go after the vehicle and provide locaton information for officers on the ground.
McManus said the vehicle was evidently running low on gas, and the suspect stopped at two or three gas stations on the Southeast Side to attempt to pack up the gas tank. The suspect would take off each time officers approached.
At one point during the pursuit, the suspect approached a person in the parking lot of a credit union near Brooks City Base and carjacked that person’s car. During the carjacking, an officer fired shots at the suspect, evidently striking him.
The suspect was still able to take off in the carjacked vehicle and led officers on a pursue across the South Side, through the Downtown area to the Northeast Side and then to the Far North Side. The pursue lasted for more than an hour, ultimately ending when the suspect drove down a mess road off of Loop one thousand six hundred four and NW Military Highway and crashed. McManus said the suspect hit at least two police vehicles before crashing the car in a wooded area.
The suspect was transported to a hospital for treatment. McManus did not have details on the suspect’s condition.
McManus said the passenger in the initial vehicle who was being held at gunpoint had not been located.
McManus said the suspect will face charges of evading arrest, aggravated onslaught on police officer, and a “multitude of other charges.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.