Cross-county vehicle pursuit ends in Floresville

Wilson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Daniel Campos, injured Feb. 29 in a crash with a fleeing suspect, is taken to a waiting Wilson County ESD 4 EMS ambulance for transport to the San Antonio Military Medical Center. WILLIAM J. GIBBS JR./Wilson County News

A Wilson County Sheriff’s Office deputy is expected to make a full recovery from injuries he sustained in a crash Feb. 29 with a vehicle he had pursued across the county and into Floresville.

Deputy Daniel Campos, whom Chief Deputy Clint Garza said has been employed by the sheriff’s office for slightly more than a year, was transported by Wilson County ESD 4 EMS to the San Antonio Military Medical Center, where he was treated and released.

Garza said that at 3:47 p.m. Thursday, officers with the La Vernia Police Department responded to Anytime Fitness just off U.S. 87 in La Vernia, after a red Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was reported stolen.

“While officers were responding to the theft, a second caller reported that they were following the vehicle on Post Oak Road and through the Oak Hollow subdivision,” Garza said.

Campos, who had just finished school resource officer duty on the Stockdale Independent School District (ISD) campuses, was in the area on U.S. 87 and he began searching for the Jeep, Garza said. He located the vehicle near the intersection of U.S. 87 and Oak Hollow Drive south of La Vernia, from where the suspect fled when Campos attempted a traffic stop.

However, the driver — identified as a 15-year-old boy from La Vernia — fled south on U.S. 87. The pursuit continued into Sutherland Springs, Garza said, and onto Fourth Street before re-entering U.S. 87 and continuing west on S.H. 97. Speeds exceeded 100 mph.

“Multiple units from our office joined the chase as the vehicle proceeded west on Highway 97 towards Floresville,” Garza said. “Responding deputies were able to set out stop sticks near F.M. 539, and they were able to successfully spike the vehicle.”

Despite one of the Jeep’s tires being punctured, the fleeing teen continued at a high rate of speed into Floresville via Standish Street. The chief deputy said the Floresville ISD was notified of the pursuit and officers from its police department stopped traffic and secured major intersections near Floresville High School. The district also delayed buses as the situation unfolded. Just after crossing U.S. 181 in front of Bill Miller Bar-B-Q, the fleeing driver abruptly stopped to avoid another vehicle near the restaurant’s entrance.

“Deputy Campos was unable to take evasive action, due to the amount of traffic, and he struck the rear of the stolen Jeep, disabling it and his patrol unit,” Garza said. “A third vehicle operated by a private citizen was struck with minor damage caused. The citizen was thankfully uninjured.”

The teen driving the Jeep also was not injured. He was taken into custody at the scene and subsequently charged with evading arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury and theft of property worth $30,000 to $150,000. He is being held in the Atascosa Juvenile Detention Center pending a hearing.

Traffic from the H-E-B shopping center onto Standish Street was suspended, and the street was closed between 10th and Seventh streets while officers investigated. Garza said the Texas Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol conducted the crash investigation, while the sheriff’s office is the lead agency of the probe into the vehicle theft and pursuit.

Also responding to assist at the scene were Pct. 4 Constable Jay Talley, Floresville ISD Police Department, Floresville Police Department, and Wilson County ESD 5 Fire and Rescue.

wgibbs@wcn-online.com