April 22, 2015 - The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) attempted to stop a driver for a speeding violation on Monday, April 20, 2015 in Tenaha; however, the driver instead sped up and tried to evade the officer.
According to Texas DPS State Trooper Jade LaVergne, at 10:20pm she was traveling U.S. Highway 59 through Tenaha heading toward Timpson when a black 2013 Ford Expedition passed by exceeding the speed limit.
Trooper LaVergne turned on the Expedition attempting to pull the vehicle over with lights and sirens when the driver accelerated and turned down South Center Street (Spur 157). The pursuit began and Trooper LaVergne, with Tenaha City Marshal Jimmy Wagstaff providing back up, followed the Expedition onto U.S. Highway 96 heading south toward Center at a high rate of speed, topping out at around 100mph.
The pursuit continued down County Road 4360 off U.S. 96 and then onto County Road 4293 where the vehicle left the roadway to the left colliding with a tree. The driver escaped the vehicle and ran. Center Police officers and Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies, and DPS State Troopers from Panola County assisted in searching the scene for the suspect.
It was discovered the vehicle was stolen out of Carthage and a passenger remained in the vehicle. During interview, the passenger told authorities he had been hitchhiking when the driver picked him up. He did not know the driver's identity, and only identified him as wearing a white shirt.
Once it was determined the passenger had nothing to do with the theft, he was released at the scene. According to the Panola County Sheriff's Department, the Expedition was stolen on or about April 12th or 13th from the Yellow Dog area on County Road 455.
