Lubbock Man Captured After Fleeing Police: How Texas Law Punishes Evading Arrest

A Lubbock man was recently arrested after he tried to flee a traffic stop, prompting police officers to engage in a pursuit. This sheds light on how Texas punishes drivers who think they can escape the cops by flooring the gas pedal.

Suspect Crashes After Fleeing Police

According to the latest press release from the Lubbock Police Department (LPD), 36-year-old Randy Flores-Morales was pulled over during a routine traffic stop near 40th Street and Avenue U.

The traffic stop occurred just after 6:30 p.m. on September 8. As the officer flashed the red and blue lights at Flores-Morales' SUV to pull over, he failed to do so, instead choosing to speed up, initiating a police chase through 47th Street.

As Flores-Morales sped through an intersection, he collided with a passenger car. Flores-Morales was uninjured, but the driver of the car he hit suffered minor injuries.

Flores-Morales was caught and sent to the Lubbock County Detention Center on multiple charges, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

What Happens When You Flee Police in Texas?

This incident in Lubbock sparks the question asking how Texas defines and punishes fleeing from police. First, you need to know if you're talking about evading arrest or resisting arrest.

Evading arrest, according to texascriminallawyer.net, is when a suspect flees an officer who is attempting lawful detention or arrest, whether in a vehicle or on foot. Resisting arrest is when force is used to prevent an officer from placing someone under arrest, searching their property, or transporting them.

A common defense for both is the suspect claiming they were frightened for their lives from the pursuing officer and decided to flee. Unfortunately, just because you're scared of the cops doesn't allow you to ignore their orders.

Also, whether or not the fleeing/resisting was intentional matters. You can only be charged with either count if it's proven that you intentionally committed the act.

For example, slowing down for a traffic stop but not coming to a complete stop while you look for a safe place to pull over can't be used against you as an example of evading arrest.

Penalties for fleeing police on foot classify as a Class A misdemeanor and come with a maximum fine of up to $4,000. If a vehicle is used, that bumps the offense to a state jail felony with up to 2 years in jail and a fine of $10,000. Don't even get me started on if somebody was injured during the chase.

You can read more about evading arrest in Texas and how the law punishes these charges from the Texas Criminal Lawyer website.