A Texas man was seriously injured yesterday when he was shot by police after firing a gun at other vehicles and stealing a semi truck.
The incident occurred around 8 a.m. on Thursday, July 16, in Knox County, Texas, when police received calls about several vehicles being shot at on U.S. 82 west of Benjamin.
A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and the Knox County Sheriff located a semi truck that fit the description of the call.
The trooper learned that the semi truck was stolen.
As the semi truck came to a stop on U.S. 82, 33 year old Chase Rountree exited the truck armed with a gun.
Police say that Rountree refused to comply with orders to drop the weapon and was shot by both the trooper and Knox County Sheriff.
He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to the hospital for treatment.
30 year old Mychele Mendez was also inside the stolen truck at the time of the shooting. Mendez was arrested on charges related to vehicle theft.
No other injuries were reported.
Local news outlet KTXS later spoke to the truck driver whose big rig was stolen. He said that Rountree and Mendez forced him to stop by blocking U.S. 82 with a red Mustang and that the several shots were fired at him. The truck driver said that he jumped onto the running boards of a box truck to try to escape and that Rountree and Mendez then drove away in his truck.
The Texas Department of Public Safety says Rountree will be charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer. Other charges could be filed.