Authorities are investigating the possibility that a carjacking this week was carried out by members of a burglary ring. Houston police are investigating the aggravated assault of a peace officer at 7100 Hardy about 10:50 p.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2003.
Charges of aggravated assault of a peace officer and assault with a deadly weapon are pending on three Hispanic suspects who were apprehended at the scene.
Harris County Sheriffs Deputy J.R. Shriver did not suffer any injuries from the incident.
HPD Homicide Division Sergeant H.G. Welch and Investigator I.F. Flores report:
A married couple was driving in the 12000 block of Downey when a van pulled in front of them and blocked their way. The armed suspects, one with a rifle and the other two with pistols, exited the van and forced the couple out of their vehicle at gunpoint. The suspects then robbed the couple.
After the robbery, two of the suspects got into the couples vehicle and drove away. The third suspect threatened the couple before he returned to the van and followed the other suspects who were headed south on Hardy.
Deputy J.R. Shriver was on patrol when he was flagged down by the couple and was told of the incident. The deputy pursued in the direction of the suspects and was able to catch up to the stolen car. When the suspects saw the deputy, they immediately sped away to avoid arrests. Deputy Shriver followed the suspects to the 7100 block of Hardy where they stopped in a vacant lot and exited the vehicle. One of the suspects ran north along the feeder road and the other ran south through an overgrown field. As Deputy Shriver chased the suspect through the field, the suspect turned and fired his pistol toward the deputy. The deputy responded by firing his weapon one time at the suspect. Neither the suspect nor deputy was struck during the exchange of gunfire. Deputy Shriver then contacted Harris County Sheriffs Office dispatch center and a description of the suspects was relayed to the responding officers.
Officers from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriffs Office responded to the scene to search for the suspects. One of the deputies involved in the search saw a vehicle driven by two men who fit the description of the wanted suspects. The deputy stopped the vehicle and arrested the men when it was verified that they were the suspects involved in the robbery. The third suspect was apprehended when HPDs K-9 Unit found him hiding underneath a tarp, in the back seat of a car that was parked behind a house near the vicinity of the search.
