Humble man sentenced for shooting at police during nearly 40-mile chase

HOUSTON - A man who led police on a nearly 40-mile chase has been sentenced to almost 40 years in prison. 

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According to the Harris County District Attorney's Office, Milton Callahan, 47, of Humble, was convicted last week for aggravated assault of a public servant. 

Milton Callahan (Photo courtesy of Harris County Jail Records)

This after he shot a police vehicle three times during a chase with a Houston PD officer on Southwest Freeway back in September 2020. 

The chase was about 37 miles long and on Friday, Callahan was sentenced to 37 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. He's obligated to serve at least half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. 

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Court records state the chase began in Humble and went all the way through the Southwest freeway, passing through the Newcastle exit on Hwy 59. That's when he fired two shots into an officer's patrol vehicle's passenger side door and a third shot through the back passenger window. However, the bullet hit the cage in the back of the police car. 

"We are all lucky no one was hurt during this 37-mile chase or the brazen shots being fired at civilians and a peace officer," DA Kim Ogg said. "We stand by our partners in law enforcement because an attack on a police officer is an attack on our community."

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From there, the police officer reportedly joined the chase against Callahan, who we're also told ran a civilian car with a family inside into a wall, causing it to catch fire. Fortunately, the family was able to get out of the car and survived the crash. 

The entire chase ended at Fondren at Willowbend, after Callahan crashed his car. He then tried to run away but was caught by police shortly afterward. 

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In his SUV, investigators found a 9mm pistol and several shell casings. Callahan's girlfriend was also in the SUV, and told officers she begged him to stop and knew he was shooting a police vehicle. She also said he was shooting at her and civilian vehicles. 

Further investigation, according to Kelly Marshall, one of the Assistant DAs, showed the 47-year-old to have had a previous criminal history and was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm and for evading police. 

"This defendant has had every opportunity to turn his life around," Marshall said. "It’s staggering when you think about all the people who could have been killed because of this defendant and this chase. Thank goodness no one died."