Jeep Flees from Police

LIBERTY, April 29, 2010 - Officer Frank Longoria of the City of Liberty Police Department was patrolling the dirt portion of Milam Street off NPT Road in the South Liberty Oilfield around 11:26 PM on Wednesday night when he noticed a black, Jeep Wrangler blacked out near the end of the road.

According to Longoria he activated his overhead lights to affect a traffic stop and the vehicle fled into the ditch where it momentarily got stuck and then freed itself. The vehicle proceeded to flee down Trinity Street to NPT Road, then South on the Oilfield road at speeds of 85 MPH.

As the vehicle neared a bridge at Gum Slough, the vehicle went off the road to the left and stopped near the water’s edge before the driver bailed out of the vehicle and fled on foot into the woods.

Four people originally occupied the vehicle. With the driver having fled on foot three remained who were detained at the scene. They were, Misty Powell age 26, Justin Zbranek age 22 and Richard Phillips age 29, all of the Liberty area.

During a search of the vehicle, Officer Longoria found a plastic bag with Marijuana as well as Marijuana scattered through the vehicle as a result of the occupants of the vehicle trying to get rid of it before the vehicle came to a stop.

Richard Phillips	Misty Powell	Justin Zbranek

Powell, Zbranek and Phillips were all each charged with Possession of Marijuana and transported to the Liberty County Jail.

The driver was later spotted by DPS Trooper Davis as he came out of the woods and crossed US 90 heading for the parking lot of the CVS Drug Store and was arrestted. He was identified as Jacob Aaron Taylor age 23 of Hardin formerly of Liberty. Taylor was charged with Fleeing or Evading in a Motor Vehicle, a Felony, and transported to the Liberty County Jail.

You may recall that an accident at the intersection of US 90 and FM 160 in Ames took out the red lights on October 30, 2009 and the intersection had to be equipped as a temporary four way stop. The lights have yet to be repaired. It was Justin Zbranek that caused that accident pulling directly into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler.

See related story… Major Accident in Ames

Additionally Powell and Phillips are employed at Jax’s Hamburgers in Liberty.

The Jeep, according to PublicData.com is registered in Texas to John Birdwell of Regal Lane, Liberty, TX.

Give us your Feedback about this story!