A 27-year-old man from Pollok, identified as Robert Lee Conner IV, found himself in police custody late Thursday night after leading officers on a dangerous high-speed chase through Lufkin. The chase, which exceeded 100 mph, lasted for approximately 13 minutes before coming to a dramatic conclusion on U.S. 69 south.
According to a statement from City of Lufkin Communications Director Jessica Pebsworth, the incident began around 11:55 p.m. when officers attempted to pull over Conner's Dodge pickup in the 800 block of North Medford Drive. The initial reason for the attempted traffic stop was an expired registration on Conner's vehicle.
However, instead of complying with the officers' request to stop, Conner chose to evade the traffic stop, sparking the pursuit that put the lives of officers and innocent bystanders at risk. During the chase, Conner reportedly reached speeds exceeding 100 mph and was witnessed driving on the wrong side of the road at times.
The pursuit reached its climax on U.S. 69 south, where officers successfully executed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver on Conner's truck, forcing it to come to a halt around 12:05 a.m.
Remarkably, Conner was taken into custody without any further incident. However, during the arrest, officers made an unsettling discovery - Conner was in possession of methamphetamine at the time of his arrest.
As a result of his reckless actions, Conner now faces serious charges. He was booked into the Angelina County Jail and charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, in addition to the possession of a controlled substance charge due to the methamphetamine found in his possession.
The charges against Conner carry a combined bond set at $25,000. This means he will have to provide $25,000 to secure his release from custody pending the resolution of his case.
City of Lufkin Communications Director Jessica Pebsworth emphasized that the incident was made less chaotic with the assistance of the Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman and his deputies, who provided valuable backup to the Lufkin officers during the pursuit and played a crucial role in apprehending Conner.
