Gunter Police in High Speed Chase 5/22/2008

Gunter’s police officers Chief Tony Thomas, Sergeant Bryce Kennedy and Corporal Julie Steenbergen, travelling together in one of the department’s patrol trucks, were on their way back from a meeting Thursday, May 22, about 1:30 p.m. when they received a dispatch call about a reckless driver on a motorcycle on Highway 289 who was passing people and driving erratically. Gunter police spotted the motorcycle at Highway 289 and Sharp Road in Gunter and both vehicles entered the intersection of Hwy 289 and FM 121 near the same time. Chief Thomas, who was driving, turned on the police truck’s lights in an attempt to pull over the motorcycle. The motocycle’s driver, who had a female passenger, turned westbound on FM 121. Gunter police’s Cpl. Julie Steenbergen called for assistance from Tioga Police Department but no one was available. She then contacted Collinsville Police who started toward Tioga. The motorcycle’s driver turned onto Kardum Lane east of Tioga. Gunter’s police vehicle had lost sight of the motorcycle but saw the dust and continued the pursuit down Kardum Lane. The driver and his passenger made their way back to Hwy. 377, headed north and were met by the Collinsville unit. Still refusing to pull over, Collinsville police initiated pursuit with the vehicle too. Once in Whitesboro city limits, Grayson County Sheriff’s Department, Whitesboro Police and Grayson County’s Constable’s Office joined in the chase. With speeds reaching up to 150 mph, the motorcycle continued fleeing and crossed the Red River on Hwy. 377. Finally, about 12 miles into Oklahoma, near Kingston, the driver wrecked the motorcycle as he tried to turn onto a gravel road. Arrested at the scene by Oklahoma’s Highway Patrol was Jared Hawkins, 36, of Plano. Hawkins was being held in Marshall County jail on a charge of possession of a stolen motor vehicle. His passenger, an unidentified female, was determined to not be involved with the crimes committed and was released. Gunter Police Department Chief Thomas said they will be charging Hawkins with kidnapping, reckless driving and evading arrest with a motor vehicle.

[Citizen]

05/13/2009. As of today, I found in the court records of Grayson County no case was ever filed against Jared Hawkins. No arrest either. Is this how our Gunter Police Department operates! I wonder if any one on the Department that was involved in the chase even made a written report concerning this chase!