Vehicle pursuit in Santa Rita follows investigation of a found stolen vehicle

On Thursday, May 1, at about 11:30 this afternoon San Angelo Police Officers were dispatched to the area of the 2000 block of Vaughn Street after a vehicle that had been reported stolen.
The vehicle was located on April 30^th around 11 o’clock this morning. When the first police unit arrived, Officer Delaughter observed a male subject running from the vehicle toward the Fairmount Cemetery and ASU area.

The subject entered the cemetery and located a parked Bobcat Utility vehicle used by the cemetery maintenance staff. The subject jumped onto the utility vehicle and after driving through the fence of the cemetery, he began to evade officers by driving on several streets in the Santa Rita neighborhood. At one point with several officers following the suspect he drove near the Santa Rita Elementary School, prompting San Angelo Police Officers to request the school be placed on lock down. The subject made no attempt to enter the school.

The chase continued and in the 600 block of S. Bishop the subject struck a patrol car while trying to avoid capture. The patrol car received minor damage and the officer was not injured. The chase continued reaching speeds of around 25 miles per hour. The suspect drove through alleys and on several streets before leaving the road way and striking a tree at the intersection of Yuca and Jefferson.

The suspect was taken into custody and due to minor injuries he received in the crash; he was transported to Shannon Hospital Emergency room. At this time he is being treated for non life threatening injuries. When he is medically cleared, the subject will then be transported to the Tom Green County Justice Center where he will be booked in for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle for the utility vehicle, Evading Arrest and/or Detention on foot, Evading Arrest and/or Detention in a Motor Vehicle and Criminal Mischief for damages to the fence. Other charges may be forth coming upon completion of the investigation. San Angelo Police Patrol Division, Traffic Division and Criminal Investigation Division are still investigating the incident at this time. The suspects name will be released at a later time.