Galveston County Sheriff’s Office details escape of suspect, identifies 2 others arrested
Sylvester Thompson (Source: Galveston County Jail)
GALVESTON, Texas - Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen issued a news release on Monday detailing the escape of a suspect that happened on Saturday morning.
Saturday morning escape
Timeline:
According to Sheriff Fullen, just before 3 a.m. on Saturday, a patrol deputy saw a motorist obstructing the roadway in the 200 block of FM 517 in Dickson. As the deputy was getting out of his vehicle, 35-year-old Sylvester Thompson got out of his vehicle and ran from the area.
At the same time, Sheriff Fullen says the Dickinson Police Department broadcast a burglary call in the area with a suspect matching Thompson's description.
Law enforcement set up a perimeter and Thompson was arrested for evading arrest. Dickinson Police, League City Police, and La Marque Police K9 unit were all involved.
While being taken to the Galveston County Jail, Sheriff Fullen says Thompson managed to get his handcuffs from behind his back to the front of his body. He managed to roll down the window and escape as the patrol vehicle was moving.
Deputies then began chasing Thompson again, and there was a struggle between him and the patrol deputy on IH-45 and FM 519. During the struggle, Sheriff Fullen says Thompson assaulted the deputy and tried to take his weapon. The deputy was injured and this allowed Thompson to escape on foot again.
The deputy was taken by EMS to UTMB Victory Lakes to be treated for his injuries.
A several-hour search involving multiple agencies was conducted. Thompson was eventually found still handcuffed. He was found on the passenger side of a vehicle that was traveling on 33rd Street at Ave. C in Santa Fe, Texas.
RELATED: Escaped Galveston County fugitive found in Santa Fe, Texas
The driver, 32-year-old Captain Ferrel Lawson, and another passenger, 33-year-old Ebonnie Persha Lathon, have been charged with hindering apprehension, which is a third-degree felony. Bond has been set at $100,000 each.
(Source: Galveston County Jail)
Thompson's vehicle from the initial encounter was later released to his girlfriend.
The investigation
During the investigation, deputies learned Thompson claimed he was involved in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend, Heather Ross, when the patrol deputy attempted to detain him during the initial encounter.
Galveston County suspect found after escaping custody; fiancée says arrest is unjust
A man is back in Galveston County custody after he allegedly ran from officials while handcuffed. His fiancée tells FOX 26's Jade Flury that he shouldn't have been arrested in the first place.
"The photo of Sylvester Thompson posted on Heather Ross's Facebook page was taken after he escaped from custody and while Sheriff’s Deputies were actively searching for Thompson," said Sheriff Fullen in the news release. "Based on the timeline of the photo released by Heather Ross, it is clear that numerous subjects aided in hindering the apprehension of Thompson, which is still being actively investigated."
"It's not fair"
What they're saying:
Thompson's fiancée, Heather Ross, claims he was wrongly arrested.
Ross said she and Thompson never broke any laws. She said they had a flat tire on the side of the road and were arguing when he walked off from her. Ross states that an officer pulled up behind him and he ran away.
"Another two cop cars come behind, and I’m like, ‘What’s going on?’ So I move the car into the parking lot, and she’s like, ‘You guys were stranded motorists, and you were impeding traffic, which is a misdemeanor, but why is he running?’ I said, ‘He wasn’t running from you guys. He was walking, trotting, running away from me because we’re arguing about this flat tire,’" said Ross.
Moments later, authorities tried to arrest Thompson, but he escaped.
"They caught up to him. They beat him up. Then they put him in handcuffs, and that’s when he managed to get his handcuffs in front of him and take off running because he was scared because they had already beat the hell out of him," said Ross.
Ross said Thompson ran because he has been in trouble with the law before and feared being shot by police. She said he was arrested without good cause.
"It’s not fair. He wasn’t doing anything wrong. And they plastered his name all over Facebook," said Ross.
In a social media post by Ross, she states, "Nobody! Noone deserves to be brutally beaten and suffer jaw, nose and orbital socket fractured at the hands of police. It is brutality! Galveston County Sheriff's Office should look into their officers behavior and their cause for even giving chase to an innocent man who wasn't running from them and had committed NO CRIME. He had a flat tire and was pulled to the side of the road? Evading arrest for what crime? Escaping custody in fear for his life and for good reason! Don't believe everything the media or the Sheriff's office publishes, this whole situation was unjust and needs to be investigated!"
What's next:
Thompson has been charged with taking a weapon from an officer, assaulting a peace officer, and escaping while arrested. Bonds for these charges have been denied, and he is currently awaiting trial in the Galveston County Jail, according to jail records.
Thompson's fiancé said they are getting a lawyer and taking legal action against the sheriff's office. FOX 26 Houston reached out to the Galveston County Sheriff's Office for comment.
The Source: The information in this article is from a news release by the Galveston County Sheriff's Office and an interview with the suspect's fiancee.