Scott Flowers
Center Police Detectives make arrest after chase (Updated)
Center Police Detectives were conducting an investigation at approximately 12:45 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 1 when they witnessed a suspicious vehicle. In attempting to make contact with the three men within the pickup truck the driver began to leave the scene.
When the detectives turned on their emergency lights to indicate that they wanted the truck to pull over, the truck sped off and the detectives gave chase. Backup was requested and several other officers began traveling to where the detectives were chasing the truck.
The driver, Darryl Gray, 51, of Center turned onto Greer Street and was headed toward the intersection with Riggs Street. To the surprise of the detectives, instead of turning onto Riggs Street, Gray drove through the dead end of Greer Street where the truck ended up in a creek bed.
One of the occupants of the truck fled the scene on foot to the north. The driver and other passenger were apprehended immediately. Upon a search of the vehicle, the narcotic PCP was located within the truck.
Detective Stephen Stroud and Lieutenant Jeremy Bittick placed Darryl Gray, 51, of Center in custody and charged him with evading in a motor vehicle - state jail felony. Billy McCoy, 52, of Center was arrested and charged with evading on foot - misdemeanor A, and possession of a controlled substance - state jail felony.
After the two men in the truck were placed under arrest another individual approached the officers on foot. He indicated that one of the men that was in the truck was his father, and that he was coming to check on him. As he got closer the man appeared to be intoxicated, and he gave permission for a pat-down before Sgt. Scott Burkhalter gave him a sobriety check. Chad Gray, 22, of Center was arrested at the scene for public intoxication.
Anyone with information about the third party that ran from the scene is asked to please call Center Crime Stoppers at 936-598-SAFE or send a web tip at www.centercrimestoppers.com . You could earn up to $1,000 if your information leads to the arrest of the suspects, and remember you don’t have to give your name.
