A Liberty County resident, 75-year-old James Brown, woke up at 2:30 a.m. on Monday when someone hooked onto his 16-foot camper trailer and began to pull it out of his driveway while he was still inside. Brown, who lives in the CR 2279 area of South Liberty County, attempted to turn on the inside trailer lights but the suspect(s) had already disconnected his power and were driving. Brown immediately called 911 from his cell phone and informed the Sheriff’s dispatcher that the suspect(s) were towing him and his trailer at a high rate of speed in a pickup truck, south on Hwy 321 toward the City of Dayton.
With the suspect(s) still driving, Brown opened the trailer door and fired several gunshots at the pickup. The vehicle began to weave back and forth across the highway in an attempt to throw Brown from his trailer. The weaving caused Brown to drop his cell phone but the dispatcher had already received enough information to broadcast the details of the situation to deputies.
Deputy Kenneth Taylor happened to be nearby and observed the truck and trailer jolting around on the highway. Deputy Taylor attempted to stop the truck using his emergency equipment but the suspect(s) continued to flee south at approximately 60 MPH for another five miles. At that point, the pickup drove into the northbound lane which prevented the deputy from pulling up to the driver’s side. The truck eventually came to a sudden stop and the driver fled on foot into the woods. A female passenger was in the truck and was detained by Deputy Taylor. The Dayton Police Department joined the search for the driver in the woods but were unsuccessful.
Brown told Deputy Taylor that his home on CR 2279 had been burglarized several times and he had locked the gate to his driveway and was staying the camper to catch burglars. The trailer thief had cut the lock off of Brown’s gate.
The female passenger had no direct evidence connecting her with the offense so all pertinent information was obtained from her and she was released. The truck used in the burglary was not reported to be stolen at that time but was held for further examination.
Sgt. Investigator Billy Knox is conducting the follow-up investigation which is still ongoing.
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Sgt. Investigator Bill Knox of the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department conducted a lengthy follow-up investigation and gathered sufficient evidence to charge Ted Wilson, 43, of the Crosby area with Felony Theft, Evading Arrest with a Previous Felony Conviction, and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. All warrants were obtained out of Judge Stephen Hebert’s Precinct 1 J.P. office. Wilson has not yet been arrested.
According to Sgt. Knox, Wilson’s female companion, Stephanie Nicole Palmer, 38, has not been charged at this time but her case has been sent to a Grand Jury for review and possible indictment. The sergeant  stated that evidence collected now clearly shows that Ted Wilson was the driver of the pickup truck that was pulling the camper trailer and was, in fact, the same person that abandoned the truck and fled into the woods to avoid capture.
Anyone having knowledge of Ted Wilson’s whereabouts is asked to call the Liberty County Sheriff’s Department at (936) 336-4500 and forward that information to Sgt. Knox.
