Harris Co. Pct. 1 deputy constable 'severely injured' in north Houston; suspect dead
HOUSTON - A Harris County Pct. 1 deputy constable was taken to the hospital by Life Flight after he was run over, and the suspect is dead after law enforcement officers shot at him, authorities say.
The incident occurred around 10 p.m. Wednesday in the 1200 block of Mitchell Road.
Houston Police Department Executive Chief Matt Slinkard said during a news briefing late Wednesday night that a possible family disturbance had occurred at a nearby church earlier in the evening.
Slinkard said a suspect drove up, met a family member at the church and then started ramming vehicles.
Authorities said the suspect was gone by the time officers arrived.
Police said a female that lives on the 1200 block of Mitchell saw a suspicious vehicle on her home camera and made a call to police that the suspect from the church may be there.
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Officers responded to the home but were unable to find the suspect's vehicle, authorities said.
Later in the evening, Slinkard said Precinct 1 deputy constables found the suspicious vehicle on Hardy Toll Road as a drunk driver going the wrong way.
That's when a chase ensued because the suspect refused to stop when the deputies tried to stop the vehicle. It was at that point deputies learned the vehicle was stolen, possibly as recently as Wednesday.
As the chase continued, it ended up back on the 1200 block of Mitchell as police believed the suspect was related to individuals on the street.
Slinkard said it looked like a continuation of the potential family disturbance that occurred at the church earlier in the evening.
At the end of the chase, Slinkard said the suspect ran his vehicle into the house as well and left a large hole in the side of the house.
No one was hurt inside the home when the collision occurred, officials said.
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When authorities got back to the home, a deputy constable got out of his vehicle and attempted to approach the suspect.
That's when, Slinkard said, the suspect used his vehicle as a weapon and ran over the deputy constable.
The deputy constable, who is about 34 years old and has been with the department for about four years, was taken to the hospital by Life Flight and was listed in critical, but stable condition.
According to preliminary information, Slinkard says, when the deputy constable was run over and the suspect was using the vehicle in that manner, four Precinct 1 deputies and one HPD officer discharged their firearms.
The suspect, who authorities believe to be a Hispanic male, unknown age, was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity was not released as authorities haven't searched the suspect's vehicle.
No other officers or citizens were hurt in the incident.
Authorities are continuing their investigation.