A theft call at the Walmart Supercenter in Porter turned into a fiery highway rescue after deputies say the suspect fled the store on foot, took off in a vehicle, and led Montgomery County deputies on a high-speed chase up Interstate 69 that ended with his car engulfed in flames on FM 1485.
Montgomery County deputies responded to a theft call at the Walmart located at 23561 US Highway 59 after the suspect, later identified as 53-year-old Michael Bebawi, reportedly stole from the store and then fled on foot before taking off in a vehicle, according to Click2Houston. Deputies say Bebawi drove north on I-69 at a high rate of speed before exiting at FM 1485, a primary east-west commercial corridor that intersects the interstate near a cluster of retail centers and bank branches in Porter and New Caney, according to HAR.com.
The chase came to a violent end when Bebawi lost control while trying to turn eastbound at an intersection, per the sheriff's office. His vehicle crossed a curb, crossed a median, collided with another vehicle, and struck a Chase bank sign — at which point the car caught fire, the report states.
Deputies Race Against Flames to Pull Suspect Free
As the fire intensified, deputies moved quickly to clear patrol vehicles from the area to make room for responding fire and EMS personnel. They initially could not open the driver's-side door because of crash damage, so one deputy entered the vehicle through the passenger side while another worked to unlock the driver's door.
The vehicle started to explode as deputies worked to free Bebawi, and the fire kept intensifying during the rescue itself. Deputies ultimately pulled him from the vehicle and moved him as far as possible from the burning car before emergency crews arrived.
Prior Record and Felony Charges Now on the Table
Bebawi is now held in the Montgomery County Jail, charged with evading in a vehicle and theft. The report notes he has prior arrests related to theft, theft-related offenses, and resisting arrest.
That criminal history could carry real weight in court. Under Texas Penal Code § 31.03(e)(4)(D), a theft involving property valued under $2,500 can be elevated to a state jail felony if the defendant has two or more prior theft convictions, according to McCarty-Larson PLLC, which notes such felonies carry potential sentences of 180 days to two years in a state jail facility. Fleeing on foot is typically handled as a Class A misdemeanor, but taking off in a vehicle changes everything under Texas law.
Under Texas Penal Code § 38.04, evading arrest or detention using a motor vehicle is classified as a third-degree felony, carrying a statutory penalty of two to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to $10,000, according to the Brent Bowen Law Firm. The Conroe Criminal Lawyer Blog has separately noted that fleeing law enforcement can convert what might otherwise be a low-level misdemeanor theft into that same third-degree felony, drastically increasing a suspect's exposure to mandatory prison time. Resisting arrest, listed among Bebawi's prior arrests, is a legally distinct charge under Texas Penal Code § 38.03 that requires using physical force against an officer, as opposed to the non-forcible act of fleeing covered under the evading statute, per the Sparks Law Firm.
DPS Takes Over Crash Investigation
Texas DPS is investigating the crash itself, a division of labor that reflects standard state procedure. Under Title 37, Section 3.6 of the Texas Administrative Code, the Highway Patrol division of DPS holds operational responsibility for investigating motor vehicle crashes on public roads outside incorporated city limits, meaning local sheriff's offices routinely hand off crash-scene reconstruction to state troopers once a pursuit ends. DPS has also noted that high-speed pursuits carry heightened fire hazards when fleeing vehicles strike stationary objects, prompting the agency to deploy specialized State Crash Teams for scenes involving vehicle fires and multiple collisions.
It is not the first time the Porter Walmart has drawn a major law enforcement response. Back in January 2015, Montgomery County deputies arrested a man wearing body armor outside the same store, according to KHOU, underscoring the security challenges that large retail hubs along major interstate corridors can present. Patrol operations across the county's sprawling unincorporated areas, including the stretch of I-69 where Wednesday's chase unfolded, were structured under former Sheriff Rand Henderson, who led the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office from January 2017 through 2024.
