Thursday evening Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office received a call for a robbery in progress at Markel Jewelers in the Market Street area of The Woodlands. As multiple units responded to the scene others diverted to Interstate 45 once dispatchers were informed the robbers just fled in a small white car.,
A Shenandoah Officer who had been patrolling on the east side of the freeway quickly got in position at Woodlands Parkway and I-45 on a hunch the robbers may try to run back to Harris County. Within two minutes his hunch proved to be right as the vehicle entered the southbound lanes of Interstate 45 with it’s right turn signal on. The officer immediately got behind the vehicle and waited for additional units to get in place before he attempted to stop the vehicle. Within minutes the vehicle sped up and started to maneuver through traffic. The officer stayed with him including the quick exit at the Hardy Toll Road where speeds reached 100 miles per hour.
The vehicle exited FM 1960, ran through the red light just missing several vehicles and reentered the Toll Road. Once again the driver exited Richey Road, ran the light at the intersection and re-entered the Toll Road.
They exited Rankin Road and once again ran the light as they traveled east on Rankin to Imperial Valley where again a light was run as they moved toward the North Sam Houston Toll Road. As they approached the intersection of Benmar the driver entered the U-turn lane but instead of going east on the Beltway the driver turned west going head n into traffic and then south on Benmar to FM 525.
Now west on FM 525 the driver once again traveled on the wrong side of the road for a short distance. Al the while with the Shenandoah Officer behind him having to watch the vehicle and also deal with motorists who do not know it is state law to pull to the right and stop for an emergency vehicle.
A prime example was when the robbers entered Interstate 45 southbound from FM 525 and a truck cut in front of the patrol car and stopped on the freeway entrance ramp. The Shenandoah Officer was able to get around that driver, nearly losing sight of the fleeing vehicle.
As the car exited West Mount Houston (SH 249) the drivers were able to gain some distance between them and the officer. When they tried to turn into a shopping center parking lot they hit a pole setting off the airbags. The suspects then fled in several directions but with the help of Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Harris County Precinct 4 Constables, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Houston Police Department all four were taken into custody, one after being subdued by a Harris County Precinct 4 K-9 and then a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office K-9 when he attempted to flee again.
Post time: Mar-24-2017