SMITH COUNTY, Texas—A man who led law enforcement on a two-day, multi-county crime spree and pursuit died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after barricading himself inside a residence.
On Thursday, August 28, at approximately 10:00 a.m., a Texas Highway Patrol unit in Gregg County attempted to stop Lucas Stevenson in Longview on active felony warrants. Stevenson fled in a vehicle, which was disabled after he crossed a railroad track at a high rate of speed. He then carjacked a second vehicle and led a pursuit that went through the Gladewater and Big Sandy areas and into Upshur County.
During the crime spree, Stevenson allegedly broke into several homes, stole firearms and UTVs, and killed a homeowner’s dog.
The pursuit continued into the evening, with investigators determining Stevenson had fled to a residence in Smith County. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the home, but Stevenson was not there. Subsequent information led them to a second residence in Smith County, where he was located.
Stevenson barricaded himself inside and refused to surrender. After an initial period of communication with investigators, he stopped responding. He was later found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, the homeowners did not know Stevenson but knew a female who brought him to the residence. Justice of the Peace Curtis Wulf ordered an autopsy, which is standard protocol.
Sheriff Larry R. Smith praised the collaborative efforts of the "federal, state and local level" agencies involved in the pursuit, which included the Longview Police Department and the Gregg County Sheriff's Office.
