A Haltom City driver accused of plowing through multiple crash scenes Monday evening ended up barricaded inside his own house, prompting police to call in SWAT, which entered the home and took him into custody. Officers say the ordeal began almost by accident, when they heard a loud crash while working a completely unrelated case nearby, and it ended with the suspect in handcuffs and both he and an officer nursing injuries at a local hospital.
According to the Haltom City Police Department, officers were working an unrelated investigation in the 2000 block of Owens around 5 p.m. Monday when they heard the crash. As reported by FOX 4, officers then spotted a car driving erratically, hitting objects and cutting through a grassy area. When officers tried to signal the driver to stop, he failed to yield, and a chase followed.
During the pursuit, the driver tossed what appeared to be a white substance out of the window, the station reported, though its contents have not been identified. The chase ultimately ended not at some random curb, but at the suspect's own home in the 1300 block of Clarence, where he ran inside and refused to come out. Officers evacuated everyone else who was inside the house as the situation escalated into a standoff.
Negotiations Stall Before SWAT Moves In
Haltom City's negotiations team responded and attempted to make contact with the suspect, but those efforts failed. Detectives then obtained a search warrant, and the department's SWAT team was activated, ultimately making entry and taking the suspect into custody.
Investigators believe the man's path of destruction started well before officers ever heard that crash on Owens. Per the same account from FOX 4, investigators believe the driver struck a motorist on Denton Highway and drove away, then was involved in another collision on Waldemar Street, all before officers happened upon his vehicle.
Injuries and an Uncertain Charging Status
Both the suspect and an officer suffered minor injuries and were being treated at a local hospital, according to Yahoo News. Police have withheld the suspect's name until he appears before a magistrate.
The exact charging status remains unclear, with accounts describing it differently. The police bulletin lists assault on a peace officer, a second-degree felony, and evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, a third-degree felony, as anticipated charges, while Yahoo News reported that police had already charged the suspect with those same two offenses. Police said additional charges could still be filed as the investigation continues.
The incident was logged under case number 26H34557.
