April 21, 2022 - An attempted traffic stop led the Shelby County Sheriff's Department on a pursuit on April 20, 2022, which traveled a large portion of the eastern and southern parts of the county.
According to Sheriff Kevin Windham, the initial traffic stop for a defective headlight developed into a pursuit after the driver failed to stop on Haslam Strip (U.S. Highway 84). The subsequent pursuit traveled FM 139 to the East Liberty area and then south of Shelbyville.
As the pursuit traveled south of Shelbyville on CR 1090, one patrol unit was unable to continue the pursuit as it had crashed.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) a single-vehicle crash was investigated involving a Shelby County patrol unit on County Road 1090, approximately one mile northwest of State Highway 147.
The preliminary investigation by DPS indicates that at approximately 9:15pm, a vehicle was actively fleeing from the Shelby County patrol unit. After the vehicles traveled onto a dirt portion of the road, the Deputy lost control of the vehicle and struck several trees.
The fleeing vehicle continued and had not been located at that time.
The Shelby County Patrol unit was a 2014 Chevrolet SUV driven by Deputy Jordan Ford, who was not injured.
Sheriff Windham had staged his vehicle at the intersection of CR 2110 (Cannon Cemetery Road) and State Highway 87 (SH87) in attempts to head the suspect off in the event he traveled that direction. As it happened, the suspect did travel CR 2110 and once at the intersection with SH87 the vehicle he was driving struck Sheriff's Windham's unit, causing minor damage.
The vehicle continued from there south on SH87 where the pursuit finally came to an end at the 9000 block. From there the driver further evaded on foot and was finally apprehended by Sheriff Deputy Aaron Jones.
It was then discovered the driver had a female passenger and a 9-month-old baby in the car with him during the pursuit. The cries of the 9-month-old were clear when the woman was removed from the car, and then found the baby in a child safety seat.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Gary Smith, 19, and he was charged with aggravated assault on a public servant; abandon or endanger a child with imminent bodily injury or death; evading arrest with a motor vehicle; and evading arrest on foot.
Assisting in the pursuit was the Center Police Department and investigating the crash incident was DPS Trooper Daniel Dellenger.
