A man who allegedly stole a vehicle and drove it through a Buc-ee’s in Royse City on Sunday has been taken into custody by police.
Rockwall County sheriff’s deputies and troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) initiated a pursuit of a stolen vehicle on I-30 that exited the interstate at FM 2642 on New Year’s Day, according to a post on the Royse Police Department’s Facebook page.
The unidentified suspect was originally taken to the Methodist Medical Center in Richardson for a mental evaluation by the Plano Police Department.
However, he reportedly escaped and stole a vehicle, according to police.
The Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) said Rowlett Police found the vehicle and then lost it before it was found again in collaboration with Fate DPS.
The suspect then exited the highway and drove the vehicle into the Buc-ee’s eastside entrance, according to police.
He then tried to flee the scene on foot but was apprehended, according to the RCSO.
On its Facebook page, the Royse City Police Department issued a statement in response to the incident.
“Fortunately, no one was injured, and the driver was taken into custody,” the statement read.
Buc-ee’s stayed open despite the damage done to the eastside entrance.
Criminal charges are pending against the suspect, according to the RCSO.
The suspect was taken to a facility in Greenville for medical evaluation and for further mental evaluation, according to police.
The dramatic incident at the Royse City Buc-ee’s comes as auto crimes continue to plague the metroplex, and Dallas in particular. This wave has contributed to a citywide crime epidemic over the past year, enabled by the inaction of city council and other political authorities.
Car thefts spiked in Dallas over 2022, with districts 6, 2, and 14 logging more than 100 motor vehicle thefts each in the month of November. As of the first week in December, these three districts had a startling total for the year of 1,705 auto theft reports in District 2, 1,531 in District 6, and 1,369 in District 14.
