Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable Kenneth “Rowdy” Hayden thought he took the day off Friday. That was before he wound up in the middle of a multi-agency pursuit that began in Liberty County and ended when the pursuit turned into a foot chase and Constable Hayden apprehended the suspect.
Around 9 a.m. Friday morning, Liberty County Sheriff’s deputies were searching for 26-year-old Clay Stringfellow after receiving information he was planning to commit “suicide by cop.” Their search led them to an area of Liberty County near Tram Road in Splendora where they spotted him, but he got away again. During their search, they wound up in the Fostoria Road area, and Constable Hayden happened upon them. After talking with LCSO deputies, Constable Hayden joined the search for the 4-wheel drive Chevy pickup and contacted Pct. 4 Lt. Buck Clendennen to provide additional units.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies and officers from other area agencies also joined in the search and they caught up with Stringfellow in the area of Faulkener Road off of Morgan Cemetery Road. The suspect fled again and MCSO deputies and the other agencies initiated a pursuit. He made it to Old Highway 105 and headed east to SH 105, toward Cleveland. Lt. Clendennen notified Constable Hayden who joined the pursuit when Stringfellow turned right on Fostoria Road. The suspect continued to evade, reaching speeds of up to 80 miles per hour. He reached Pecan Grove and took a right on Foster’s Bend, heading for his home, a camper trailer behind his parents’ residence. With Constable Hayden and MCSO Deputy Jose Amstutz close behind, Stringfellow took his 4-wheel drive pickup off-road driving through a pasture. Some deputies exited their vehicles in anticipation of Stringfellow, now surrounded, doing the same. He then attempted to strike deputies with his vehicle, but they managed to avoid being hit. He also rolled down his truck window and brandished a tool as though it were a firearm. Fortunately, all of the officers on the scene could see it was not and no shots were fired.
Stringfellow, who made a deep laceration to his wrist at some point, finally jumped out of his truck and fled on foot into the nearby woods. Constable Hayden and Deputy Amstutz pursued the suspect. Constable Hayden was forced to deploy his Taser, using non-lethal force to subdue and apprehend Stringfellow, who was bleeding profusely from his self-inflicted laceration.
MCSO took custody of Stringfellow and he was transported to Conroe Regional Hospital where he was to be treated for the laceration and released to deputies to go to jail. It is far from his first time behind bars. Stringfellow has a lengthy criminal record including Aggravated Assault Causes Serious Bodily Injury; Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon; Resisting Arrest / Search / Transport; Possession of Marijuana; and Criminal Mischief.
Clayton Lee “Clay” Stringfellow faces charges of Evading Arrest in a Vehicle and Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer.
Constable Hayden said he was glad the incident ended with the Stringfellow safely in custody and with no officers injured.
“This is a great example of how effective law enforcement is when everyone works together,” Constable Hayden said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.”
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