Brownwood police officers arrested an 18-year-old man after a vehicle chase led officers down roads and alleys early Thursday morning.
Police received a complaint after 2am that a vehicle was “doing donuts” in the parking lot of Camelot Apartments on Slayden. The police report states that when officers went to investigate, they spotted the suspect vehicle turning on to 10th street.
The report states that as a patrol car turned around to make the stop, the suspect vehicle accelerated at a high rate of speed and officers began their pursuit. The report also states that the vehicle approached the 2200 block of Avenue O and made a sharp left turn and then an immediate right turn into an alley between 10th and 11th street. The suspect turned off the vehicle’s headlights and tail lights as it went down the alley the report indicates.
Police continued the chase down the alley and observed the suspect strike a gas meter causing natural gas to spew out into the alley the report states. The police report also says that the suspect vehicle made no attempt to slow down as it crossed side streets and ignored all traffic control signs.
The suspect turned onto 13th street eluding police until the vehicle was found stuck in a culvert at the intersection of 14th St and Stephen F. Austin after the driver lost control and crashed the vehicle.
The police report states that the driver, 18-year-old Walter Daniel Tompkins of Brownwood, said he fled because he was scared. He was arrested and charged with Evading Arrest with a Vehicle and Failure to meet requirement on striking a fixture.
