By Moses Leos III.
A Buda Police officer’s recognition of a man with outstanding warrants led to a nearly two-mile high-speed chase through downtown Buda neighborhoods.
The two-minute pursuit, which included deputies from the Hays County Sherriff’s Office, concluded with the apprehension of Buda resident Jonathan Dwayne Wright on Mar. 10.
Wright was booked into the Hays County Jail on Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle – a third degree felony. He is being held on $55,000 bond; $50,000 stemming from a warrant for an October 2013 arrest.
The ordeal began at the corner of West Goforth and Arikara Streets at approximately 5:30 p.m. According to the probable cause affidavit, Buda Police Officer Lucas Lysek spotted Wright’s vehicle, a blue Dodge Ram, travelling westbound on Goforth.
As he passed the van, Lysek said he recognized the driver, Wright, from “contact with him in the past.” The officer said in the report that he helped Hays County serve outstanding warrants for Wright the previous week.
According to Hays County Jail records, Wright had three outstanding warrants from 2013. The latest was a failure to appear following an October 2013 arrest on possession of a controlled substance – a state jail felony.
With the knowledge that Wright also had no driver’s license, Lysek wheeled around and followed the truck. Wright then turned right onto Cedar Street, and according to Lysek, quickly accelerated down the 25 miles per hour (mph) road.
Lysek said the pickup was travelling at 56 mph when it blew through a stop sign at the intersection of Houston and Cedar Streets.
Wright continued the chase down Cedar, then onto Main Street, heading northbound toward IH-35. Heavy traffic slowed down the pickup, allowing Lysek to catch up.
But the suspect turned right onto Bradfield Drive, entrance of the Bradfield subdivision. Speed continued to play a factor, as the truck sped down Bradfield at roughly 54 mph.
By this time, Lysek had already notified Hays County Dispatch. However, he struggled to give his location due to heavy radio traffic.
The chase continued until Wright turned onto Torrington Drive, where the truck began to slow down.
As the truck turned left onto Faircrest Drive, Lysek noticed the driver’s side door opening. When the truck stopped at 525 Faircrest, Wright exited the vehicle, then fled down Rockhurst Street.
Lysek stayed with the vehicle and found a passenger, Milton Crayton, Jr., still inside the vehicle. Crayton, who was “detained without incident,” cooperated with authorities. He said Wright was “running home,” and that Crayton informed him not to run from police.
A short time later, Hays County Deputies caught up with Wright and placed him in custody.
Wright voluntarily told authorities he was “tired of running … tired of looking over his shoulder.” He was also aware of his actions placing people in harm’s way.
