PRESS RELEASE FROM SHERIFF DON SOWELL-GRIMES COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Saturday, the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office received a call for assistance from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a suspect vehicle that had been involved in a hit-and-run accident in Madison County. As the victim followed the suspect vehicle, the 911 call was transferred to the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office from the Walker County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies with the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office were advised of the information and at 5:49 a.m., deputies observed the vehicle on County Road 179 east of State Highway 90.
The victim pulled over and the deputy activated his emergency lights to stop the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle stopped. As the deputy was radioing his location to dispatch the suspect backed up towards the patrol vehicle. The patrol vehicle backed up to avoid a collision, but the suspect then accelerated forward and the deputy initiated a pursuit. The suspect then lined up the trailer, stopped and backed up at an accelerated speed, ramming the patrol vehicle and raising the front end of the vehicle off of the ground.
The deputy exited the vehicle and gave verbal commands to the suspect to get out of the vehicle. The deputy then observed the vehicle pull forward again and felt that the suspect was going to ram his vehicle again, at which time the deputy discharged several rounds with his pistol in an attempt to stop the threat to himself, his partner deputy, and the victim who was behind the deputy.
After the trailer stopped for a moment, the vehicle accelerated forward and the pursuit continued. The suspect stopped on County Road 179 and State Highway 30 and the suspect began rolling back towards the patrol unit. The suspect then moved forward and turned west on State Highway 30 and continued towards State Highway 90. At the intersection of State Highway 30 and State Highway 90 in Roans Prairie, another Grimes County Sheriff’s Office deputy shut down the intersection as a precaution to avoid any accidents, presuming that the suspect may run the stop sign at the four way stop. As the vehicle approached the intersection, the suspect continued through the intersection and continued west bound on State Highway 30 towards Carlos.
The deputy that had shut down the intersection joined in on the pursuit and he advised that the vehicle had attempted to ram his patrol unit at the intersection. When the vehicle stopped on State Highway 30 and County Road 226, the second deputy pulled his vehicle closer. The suspect vehicle began to accelerate and swerved towards that deputy’s patrol unit.
The suspect continued west bound on State Highway 30 until it turned north bound on FM 244 continuing to travel at speeds from 70-100 miles per hour. The suspect then turned west on County Road 109 and then turned north on County Road 103. The Madison County Sheriff’s Office was contacted due to the vehicles traveling towards their county.
At this time the Madison County Sheriff’s Office advised the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office that it was possible that the suspect may be in possession of a firearm as the suspect vehicle and the suspect description matched an individual known to them. The suspect turned onto County Road 108 and into a pasture on Sollock Lane and drove towards a house that is located in that pasture.
The suspect’s vehicle caused damage to the homeowner’s water line and electrical lines. The elderly homeowner was home at the time and observed the incident but was not injured. The suspect then steered the vehicle towards the Grimes County deputies and a deputy with the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office fired several shots at the vehicle in an attempt to disable it. The suspect then continued west on County Road 108 and then turned north on County Road 103. The suspect then continued to FM 39 north bound and crossed the Madison County Line. DPS troopers deployed spikes near the intersection of FM 39 and State Highway 21 in Madison County. The suspect stopped his vehicle on FM 39 before driving over the spikes.
Grimes County Sheriff’s Office units assisted by a DPS Trooper, Madison County Sheriff’s Office units and Brazos County Sheriff’s Office units approached the suspect in a tactical manner and the suspect and only occupant of the vehicle was placed into custody. Once the suspect was in custody officers observed that the suspect had a wound to his right shoulder and right calf. Madison County EMS was dispatched to the scene and the suspect was transported to the hospital in Bryan for treatment. Sheriff Don Sowell requested that the damage to the victim’s vehicle and the damage to the Grimes County patrol unit be worked on as an accident by DPS. The pursuit and officer involved shooting is being investigated by the Texas Rangers, with additional support from the Grimes County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division. The Grimes County District Attorney’s office was also notified of the situation. Upon the completion of the investigation by the Texas Rangers, the District Attorney’s Office will be presented the case for review of charges to be filed in this incident.
The suspect was identified at Craigus Goffney B/M Date of Birth: 11/19/1976 and is currently receiving treatment for his injuries in Bryan.
As this incident is still under investigation, a supplemental press release will be made available when more information is obtained at the completion of the investigation by the Texas Rangers.
