HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A man has been taken into custody after leading deputies on a chase in west Harris County and barricading themself in a car Thursday morning, according to Sheriff Ed Gonzalez.
This happened on Westgreen Boulevard near the Memorial Parkway neighborhood.
The sheriff's office said they received a call around 8 a.m. that the suspect had threatened to kill his ex-wife Thursday morning and displayed a weapon, reportedly saying he didn't want to go back to jail. The man wasn't around when deputies arrived, but they searched the area and found him in a car in a nearby parking lot.
"He threatened her life and in addition to that said he wasn’t going back to jail, he would have to be killed," Assistant Chief Tommy Diaz said.
When deputies attempted to pull him over, officials said he took off, leading them on a brief chase before crashing into a water main. The man displayed a semi-automatic pistol and pointed it at deputies, who then opened fire on the man. No one was injured, according to the sheriff's office.
Around 20 minutes after the crash, the suspect turned himself in. It's unclear if the man ever fired his pistol.
The sheriff's office said they've dealt with this man before. They said he actually had an open warrant out for his arrest for threatening his ex-wife Wednesday night, but deputies had been unable to locate him.
Deputies say this is one incident among a larger problem of domestic violence in Harris County.
“We’re working with our partners whether at the Houston Area Women’s Center, with the District Attorney’s office, or through the commissioners, especially out here, [Precinct 4 Commissioner] Lesley Briones, they’ve been a big advocate for finding new solutions for domestic violence," Asst. Chief Diaz said.
Two businesses were impacted by the crash into the water main and the sheriff's office said the Municipal Utility District had already been informed. The scene cleared around 3:25pm on Thursday.
Because deputies fired their weapons, the Harris County District Attorney's Office will investigate to determine whether the policy was followed. Additionally a report will be made to the Texas Attorney General's Office.
"We’re fortunate and thankful that this ended with everyone be able to go home safely or go into custody safely," Asst. Chief Diaz said.
Watch the update authorities gave at the scene:
Here's a map of the area:
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