In the early morning hours of Friday, June 7, 2024, deputies from the Austin County Sheriff’s Office encountered a group of 4-5 armed Hispanic men in two trucks near the 2200 block of Tiemann Road. The men were possibly attempting to steal a truck whose keys had previously been stolen from inside the vehicle.
A pursuit ensued, during which one of the two trucks crashed on New Bremen Road. The occupants of the crashed vehicle were picked up by the other fleeing truck, allowing them to elude the pursuing deputies. At one point, deputies attempted to deploy spike strips, but the fleeing vehicle narrowly missed ramming the deputy’s vehicle, causing the spikes to deploy incorrectly.
Both the crashed truck and the truck that managed to escape were confirmed stolen out of Washington County on the same day. This incident follows a pattern where suspects target trucks in rural areas of the county with keys left inside the vehicles. Fortunately, no Austin County vehicles were taken during this recent attempt.
In response to the recent vehicle burglaries and thefts, the Austin County Sheriff’s Office had increased patrol presence by assigning extra deputies in the area. They remind residents to remove keys and valuables from their vehicles at night. Residents are also urged to call 911 if any unusual activity is observed and to be aware that these individuals may be armed.
Officers from the Sealy Police Department and the Bellville Police Department assisted in the effort to locate the suspects. The Austin County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incident and enhance security measures to prevent further thefts.
