LUBBOCK, Texas — The Hale County Constable for Precinct 3, Terry Timms, released new information Wednesday about the theft of his law enforcement unit, which happened Tuesday afternoon.
Timms said he and another officer were returning to Hale County from Lubbock when they saw two men run out of a business in New Deal and speed away in a truck. Timms initiated a traffic stop and first the driver did stop, but then sped away again. Timms gave chase, but speeds were too high, and he stopped the chase in Abernathy.
Surveillance video led Timms to the two suspects, who were kept separate after the arrest. Timms said he had Curtis Carroll, 29, handcuffed in the back of his unit.
Timms got out of the vehicle long enough to unlock a door at his office, Highway 54 and Interstate 27 (north of Abernathy), when Carroll was able, while handcuffed, to get out of his seatbelt and from the back to the front of the vehicle. Timms said he left the key in the vehicle (in cupholder) out of habit. Carroll was able to steal the law-enforcement unit.
DPS, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Deputies and other agencies then chased the stolen unit until Carroll made it into Crosby County where the chase ended, and Carroll was arrested without injury.
Timms said the vehicle was either totaled or nearly totaled in the chase. Carroll was charged with Escape from Custody, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, and Evading in a Motor Vehicle. Timms said more charges were pending.
Timms also said the first chase was in a stolen pickup truck which was later recovered.
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