Bellaire motorcycle officer killed in chase in Meyerland

HOUSTON – A Bellaire police officer on a motorcycle was killed in an accident during a chase Tuesday in southwest Houston.

According to Houston police, Officer Anthony Marco Zarate was responding to a shoplifting incident at the Target in nearby Meyerland Plaza around 1:40 p.m. and a chase began.

"Loss prevention flagged down the Bellaire PD officer who just completed another traffic stop, told him that there was a vehicle that was leaving that had at least two males that were believed to be involved in a shoplifting incident inside the store," Victor Senties with the Houston Police Department said.

[WATCH VIEWER VIDEO OF BEGINNING OF THE CHASE]

He said Zarate pulled the vehicle over in the parking lot near Talbot's in Meyerland Plaza and when he turned his head to communicate to dispatch, the vehicle took off.

Officials with the Harris County district attorney’s office released a picture of a man who is a person of interest in the chase. Sources tell Channel 2 Investigates the picture was taken from Zarate’s body cam.

The person of interest, identified as Dante Moore, turned himself in on Wednesday afternoon.

Senties said Zarate was pursuing the vehicle at a high rate of speed through a residential area in the 8500 block of Ferris near Beechnut when the motorcycle slammed into the back of a landscaping trailer parked on Ferris, police said.

Bystanders recorded cellphone video of Zarate approaching a car in the parking lot of Meyerland Plaza on Tuesday afternoon. The video shows the person in the car speeding off just as Zarate takes a step toward the vehicle.

Police said Zarate had been flagged down by Target employees who told him two men with box cutters were stealing from the store.

“It is my understanding those box cutters were used to disengage the anti-theft devices that were on the merchandise,” said Senties.

Police said Zarate quickly spotted and stopped two men matching the description given by the Target employees. Police said as Zarate was keying his radio to talk with his dispatch, the men sped off. The chase took Zarate into a nearby neighborhood. As Zarate rounded the corner onto Ferris near Beechnut, he slammed into the back of a landscaping truck that was parked on the side of the street.

“I heard the sirens,” said Deryl Banks. “I saw the officer coming and it’s like he couldn't swerve to miss my trailer.”

Banks rushed to Zarate’s side.

“I quickly called 911 and there was nothing I could do. He was laying there motionless,” said Banks.
    
Zarate was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where he died. Bellaire police Chief Byron Holloway is asking the men in the car Zarate was chasing to please come forward.

“There is a possibility that they may not be aware that this has happened. So I would ask that if they do know, or they do believe that they were the ones Officer Zarate was pursuing, please contact us,” said Holloway.

Zarate was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital, but he died of his injuries. 

"Obviously we have officers in the area that are searching, and anybody that may have seen anything or that has information, we're asking them to call police as soon as possible," Senties said.

An investigation is ongoing at the scene of the accident and at the Target store.

"The initial reports that were called in was that there was a weapon that had been utilized in theft. It was initially discovered that it was box cutters that were used. It was my understanding that those box cutters were used to disengage the anti-theft devices that were on the merchandise," he said.

Zarate was with Bellaire PD for seven years, and was a Marine Corps veteran. Zarate, 52, leaves behind a wife and three daughters.

Bellaire police chief Byron Holloway described Officer Marco Zarate as exemplary.

"Officer Zarate is a great guy, always had a smile on his face," Bellaire Police Chief Byron Holloway said. "The family is grief-stricken, as you can image."

Zarate was nominated for Bellaire PD Officer of the Year in 2010.

"Any time an officer loses his life in the line of duty, it is a tragic situation. Obviously our hearts go out to the family and to the Bellaire Police Department at this point," Senties said.

Since the accident happened inside Houston city limits, the Houston Police Department is handling the investigation. They say the man in the picture released by the district attorney’s office is only a person of interest at this point.

A small memorial was set up for Zarate a local Starbucks where he was a regular.

Donations are being accepted to The 100 Club Survivors Fund, which provides benefits to the dependents of firefighters and law enforcement officers who lose their life in the line of duty, at:

100 Club Survivors Fund
5555 San Felipe Street, suite 1750
Houston, Texas 77056-5527

And at The 100 Club website at www.the100club.org.