Travers Earl Crumpton Convicted

LIBERTY, September 10, 2008 - Travers Earl Crumpton, 47, of Conroe, Texas, was convicted of Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle on September 9, 2008, by a Liberty County jury in the 253rd District Court of Judge Chap B. Cain, III. Later that day, the same jury assessed Crumpton’s punishment at 15 years in prison and a $10,000.00 fine. On September 8, 2008, the seven-man, five-woman jury was seated, heard testimony, and took about 30 minutes to unanimously find Crumpton guilty of the evading charge. The trial evidence showed that the offense occurred on October 17, 2007. The Liberty County Sheriff’s Department had received information that Crumpton was wanted for a parole violation warrant and would be at the Best Western Motel in Dayton, Texas, on the afternoon of October 17, 2007. Sheriff’s deputies deployed to wait for Crumpton and when Crumpton appeared he noticed the deputies and fled the Best Western parking lot going eastbound on US 90 in a stolen truck. The deputies gave chase and after Crumpton struck several vehicles, he turned into the Brookshire Brothers parking lot and crashed into a fence near a tree on Houston Street behind the Brookshire Brothers store. Crumpton then jumped out of the truck and fled on foot. Deputies gave chase and captured Crumpton after he fought with them. Crumpton was transported to the Liberty-Dayton Hospital for treatment of his injuries suffered in the wreck and was then transported to the Liberty County Jail. During the guilt-innocence phase of the trial, Liberty County Sheriff’s investigators Philip “Chip” Fairchild, William Knox, Mark Ellington, and Chris Dryer as well as a civilian injured in the high speed chase testified for the prosecution. Crumpton testified in his own defense and claimed that he thought the officers were members of the “Bandidos” motorcycle gang who were allegedly going to harm him. This is the reason given by Crumpton for fleeing the scene. The jury soundly rejected Crumpton’s testimony and convicted him of the indicted charge of Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle. During the punishment phase of the trial on September 9, 2008, Liberty Police Officer Aaron Venegas testified for the prosecution that on September 18, 2007, about a month before the Dayton incident, he pulled Crumpton over for a traffic violation. When Crumpton exited the vehicle, he fought with Venegas and attempted to take his weapon. After a brief struggle, Crumpton got back to his vehicle and fled. Venegas gave chase eventually ending up on FM 563 where Crumpton finally wrecked the vehicle and fled into heavy woods and escaped. Crumpton again testified and denied that he was the man who fought with and evaded Venegas. During the punishment phase, the prosecution introduced evidence of Crumpton’s lengthy criminal record. Since Crumpton had been indicted as an habitual criminal, the range of punishment which he faced was elevated from that of a state jail felony (180 days to 2 years in a state jail and a fine up to $10,000) up to the range of punishment for a second degree felony (2 to 20 years in prison and a fine up to $10,000). After about an hour of deliberations, the jury sentenced Crumpton to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The State was represented at the trial by Assistant District Attorney Michael Mark. District Attorney Mike Little stated, “We are extremely pleased and gratified with the guilty verdict and the stern sentence handed down in this case. We commend the jury for their courage and fortitude in listening very carefully to all of the evidence and rendering fair and impartial verdicts. Fleeing in a motor vehicle is a crime which puts many lives at risk. The heinous circumstances of this attempted escape as well Crumpton’s lengthy criminal history certainly warranted the sentence handed down by the jury. Assistant District Attorney Michael Mark did an excellent job of preparing this case for trial and putting on the evidence before the jury. However, we in the District Attorney’s Office simply could not secure convictions and lengthy sentences such as those in this case without excellent investigations by law enforcement. Lead investigator Captain Chip Fairchild and the other investigators under the direction of Sheriff Greg Arthur not only did a great job in apprehending Crumpton but they also conducted a very thorough investigation of this case. The untiring efforts of the law enforcement officers involved in this case should make all of us very proud and extremely appreciative. The public can be assured that the District Attorney’s Office will continue to vigorously prosecute individuals like Travers Earl Crumpton.”