Teen Leads Officers on Chase Through Fayette County Before Crashing at Smithville Airport

Fayette County Sheriff Keith Korenek reports that on Wednesday morning, Aug. 12 around 9:22 a.m. Drug Interdiction Investigator David Smith located a tan 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe tan traveling on Interstate 10 westbound near the 664-mile marker near Engle that matched the description of a reportedly reckless driver.

Smith observed the vehicle driving reckless and activated his lights and siren as the vehicle came to a stop on I-10 westbound in the lane of traffic. Smith approached the vehicle in an attempt to get off the interstate as the driver sped off.

A pursuit ensued and the driver exited in Flatonia then turned on US Highway 95 traveling northbound. The pursuit traveled all the way into Bastrop County into Smithville as law enforcement attempted to spike the tires of the vehicle. The driver to avoid the spike strips left the roadway and rolled the vehicle over in the grass median at the Smithville Municipal Airport.

Taken into custody was 17-year-old Malachi Douglas Freeman of Lufkin. The subject was taken to the Smithville Hospital where he was released and transported to the Dan R. Beck Justice Center and charged with evading arrest and detention with a vehicle.

Assisting in the pursuit was Flatonia Police Officer Chris Kucera, the narcotics unit of Fayette County, Smithville Police Department and Bastrop County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety.