HOUSTON – A man has been charged with murder after a police chase in Humble ended in a crash that killed an innocent driver and seriously injured another person.
Authorities say the suspect, identified as 25-year-old Sebastian Sanchez, was behind the wheel of a stolen silver Chevrolet Trailblazer when Humble police officers attempted to pull him over on Wednesday evening.
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Sanchez refused to stop, prompting a chase that involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Houston Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office.
During the pursuit, Sanchez briefly stopped and allowed an unidentified female passenger to exit the vehicle. The woman was taken into custody, and investigators said Sanchez continued southbound in the northbound lanes of the feeder road of I-69 near Rankin Road, driving dangerously against oncoming traffic.
Fearing for public safety, police said they discontinued the pursuit on the ground, leaving a helicopter to track the suspect. Moments later, Sanchez crashed into a Kia Soul on the Eastex Freeway near Rankin Road.
The driver of the Kia, identified as 40-year-old Esoterica Spivey, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition, where she later died from her injuries. A 43-year-old passenger in the Kia was also taken to the hospital and treated for serious injuries.
Sanchez was also taken to Kingwood Hospital for treatment before he was taken into custody.
He now faces charges of murder and felony evading arrest in a motor vehicle. According to court documents, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office states that Sanchez intentionally evaded officers and, during the pursuit, drove at reckless speeds, drove over a median, and ultimately crashed into Spivey’s vehicle, resulting in her death.
Sanchez is currently being held at the Harris County Jail on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His first court appearance has not been scheduled yet.
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