A chase cross state lines ends with Sheriff Powell sending vehicle in a ditch.
/ Pronews 7
A pursuit across state lines leads local and area law enforcement into Dallum county and forcing driving techniques to end the chase safely.
Deputies from several counties in Texas and Oklahoma were engaged in a pursuit of a vehicle across state lines that ended with Sheriff Joe Powell using a pursuit technique to send the vehicle into a ditch.
Early on Tuesday morning Texas County deputies tried to initiate a traffic stop but the driver of the truck took off.
Jose Soto Gomez, 22, of Topeka, Kansas, lead officers on a chase across the Texas/Oklahoma line along US highway 54 into Sherman County. Texas county deputies called Sherman county Sheriff Joe Powell to join in the pursuit as it proceeded further into the state.
Powell, two other Sherman deputies and a Stratford police officer joined the chase and began to aggressively stop the chase. Deputies set up road blocks and laid down strips.
The right tire was blown and began coming off the rim of the wheel. Powell was rammed by the truck that sent his vehicle in a spin, but was able to safely come out of the spin and rejoin the chase.
Eventually the vehicle travelled over ten miles at excessive speeds, swerving and hitting pursuit vehicles.
Powell decided to use tactical intervention maneuver, called a PIT, which is a safer alternative to bring a chase to an end.
After several unsuccessful attempts, the truck finally ended up in a ditch on hwy 54 just west of the Dallum County line.
Gomez refused to get out the vehicle, hiding on the floorboard of the vehicle. Eventually deputies had to bust one of the windows, unlock the vehicle and removed Gomez from the vehicle.
EMS was called to the scene of the wreck and securely transported Gomez to a hospital in Dalhart and release back into the sheriff's custody. Powell was also taken for an injury sustained during the chase, and was released with a sprained shoulder.
Gomez is currently in the Sherman County Jail pending several charges from both states. Charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer, felony evasion and failure to stop, are just some of the charges.
Local and area law enforcement are not releasing the photo of Gomez pending other charges at this time.
