A hero's story via Precinct 8's Deputy Campbell and crew and what $200 dollar bonds do. 👊🙏🏻
PUBLIC RELEASE
June 21, 2022
On Monday, June 20, 2022, at approximately 10:20 PM, Deputy J. Campbell with Precinct 8 Constable Phil Sandlin’s office was on patrol at the intersection of the Gulf Freeway and El Dorado Blvd. Deputy Campbell observed a white Dodge Charger that was displaying a temporary paper license plate. A records check of this temporary tag revealed a “no record” return. The Deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the vehicle as it turned southbound from El Dorado Blvd. onto the Gulf Freeway service road. The driver slowed down as if he was going to stop, then turned his lights off and accelerated at a high rate of speed. The Charger entered the main lanes of the Gulf Freeway southbound continuing to evade the Deputy. As the pursuit reached Nasa Pkwy., Deputy Campbell terminated the pursuit due to the high speeds and his losing sight of the vehicle. Deputy Campbell continued southbound and made the U-turn under the Gulf Freeway at FM 518 to return to the precinct. Precinct 8 Deputy J. Mitchell notified League City PD of the situation and gave them the plate and vehicle description. During this time, a Texas DPS Trooper found the Charger at a gas station at FM 646 in League City. He observed a thin Hispanic male get out of the driver seat and start to walk into the convenience store. When the Trooper tried to make contact with the male, he got back in the car and fled from the location.
Deputy Campbell, still traveling northbound, was entering the main lanes of the Gulf Freeway when he observed a vehicle coming up behind him at a high rate of speed with no lights on. The Deputy slowed down and moved to the right to avoid being struck. The vehicle passed Deputy Campbell and he was able to determine it was the same vehicle he had been pursuing just minutes before. He notified our dispatch center that he once again had sight of the vehicle but was not pursuing due to the excessive speed. Deputy Campbell was able to keep visual on the Charger and relayed the location to other patrol units in the area. A short time later, at approximately 10:30 PM, Deputy Campbell saw a cloud of smoke north of him in the 21600 block of the Gulf Freeway. He responded to the location and observed a grey Lincoln SUV flipped upside down and the Charger that was traveling at a high rate of speed was facing southbound in the northbound lanes crashed against the wall. The driver of the Charger fled on foot west across the freeway as Deputy Campbell approached. The Deputy relayed the suspect information to responding units and began rendering aid the female driver of the Lincoln SUV who was pinned under the car. With help from citizens who stopped to assist, Deputy Campbell was able to lift the SUV and free the driver. Deputies searched the area to the west and located the male suspect hiding in the grass near the Forest Park East Cemetery a short time later where he was taken into custody.
The suspect was identified using a mobile fingerprint identification system as 18 year old Victor Gonzales. A check of the Charger’s vehicle identification number revealed the vehicle was reported as stolen through the Houston Police Department. Gonzales was charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and felony Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle. Just last month, Deputy J. Mitchell arrested Gonzales for Unlawful Carry of a Firearm from a separate traffic stop. Bond was set at $200 in that case.
Gonzales was booked into the Harris County Jail on these latest charges. Bond has not yet been set. The female victim was transported to an area hospital where she is being treated for numerous non-life threatening injuries. Additional charges related to the victim’s injuries could be forthcoming.
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