CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Aransas Pass Police Department officers were involved in a high-speed chase with a wanted sex offender around 3 p.m. Tuesday in Gregory, Portland and Aransas Pass.
After the active chase — which caused the man's truck to flip multiple times and threw him from the vehicle — the suspect was taken into custody and treated at an area hospital.
According to AP police officials, officers were notified of the wanted suspect when his truck passed a PD license plate reader that targets criminals and criminal-related activity.
When officers found the vehicle and attempted to approach it to confirm the alert, the driver fled, starting a high-speed chase toward Gregory-Portland.
Officers then tried to force the truck off the road using law-enforcement techniques, but an APPD new release states that the man then tried to hit police cars to avoid capture.
Because of the man's increasing speed on the highway, officials said the APPD officers backed away for their own safety.
The man then turned and headed back into Aransas Pass when officers attempted the precision immobilization technique (PIT) again and were successful.
The truck flipped multiple times, and since he was not wearing a seatbelt, the man was thrown from the truck. As he tried to get back to his vehicle, officers restrained him with a stun gun.
There were three dogs in the truck and they were released to one of the man's friends. The dogs had minor injuries.
According to APPD, the man planned to force the officers to kill him.
Aransas Pass Police Chief Eric Blanchard explained the use of PIT techniques in chases such as this one to protect others on the road.
"With how deadly this guy wanted to try to flee and try to get away, you know, that is also the reason why we don't try to pursue until the wheels fall off or the vehicle runs out of gas," Blanchard said. "If we have to chase you, we will PIT you to take you off the road to protect the life, safety of others on the road."
The driver is facing felony charges including resisting arrest and assault to a public officer.
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