Two people were hospitalized after a suspect reportedly led law enforcement on a police chase that began in Dallas and ended in Ellis County.
According to the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO), at approximately 11:32 p.m., deputies tried to pull over a dark sedan for traffic violations.
The suspect, whom deputies later identified as 26-year-old Jaylin Lee Christopher Carroll, fled the scene.
Officers pursued Carroll, who apparently struck a vehicle at the intersection of the I-35 service road and Wheatland Road and continued to flee south on I-35, reaching speeds up to 100 mph. DCSO told local news outlet FOX 4 Dallas that the suspect also turned off his headlights more than once during the pursuit.
Eventually, officials said deputies discontinued the pursuit. However, according to the Department of Public Safety Air Support, Carroll crashed into a semi-truck and wrecked just a few miles later.
The suspect reportedly continued to flee on foot into a nearby wooded area.
Deputies arrested Carroll a short time later, and he was transported to the hospital.
DCSO Spokesman Douglas Sisk told The Dallas Express that the driver of the 18-wheeler was also transported to the hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
A DCSO vehicle caught fire at the end of the pursuit, but the Ellis County Fire Department extinguished it without incident.
Carroll was charged with two counts of accident involving damage to a vehicle, one count of possession of more than 2 ounces of marijuana, and one count of evading arrest in a vehicle.
In the City of Dallas, crime plagues the streets while the Dallas Police Department faces staffing shortages, as reported by The Dallas Express. The department currently employs just over 3,100 officers, a number Chief Eddie Garcia told The Dallas Express leaves “hundreds” short.
Crime is also prevalent downtown, where there is not currently a dedicated police or private security unit as has demonstrated some success in areas such as Deep Ellum and nearby Fort Worth.