VIDOR, Texas — A suspect that allegedly led police on what they believe could've been "one of the most dangerous pursuits" they have ever seen was arrested, released on bond on an unrelated offense.
On Thursday, September 22, a thief was caught red-handed after a police chase, but managed to get away. Dash camera footage, which 12News obtained from Vidor police, caught the entire ordeal.
When our original story aired on September 27, the Vidor Police Department was not aware that 33-year-old Bryan Anthony Barba of Buna had been arrested in Jasper County on September 23 for criminal mischief, a third degree felony.
This felony charge came after a report involving damage to an oil well site on County Road 707 in Buna on September 15, according to a news release from Jasper County Sheriff's Office.
He was later released on a $25,000 bond set by Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Gina Cleveland.
The following week on September 22 around 10 a.m., a resident on Doty Road called area authorities and stated a man was stealing AT&T cables. The concerned citizen followed the man’s white Chevy pickup truck until police arrived.
Police found Barba, who they say led them on a 30-minute, high-speed chase with 100 feet of cables trailing behind his pickup truck.
Vidor police was assisted by Jasper County deputies and the Texas Department of Public Safety, according to the release.
The pickup reached speeds of more than 100 mph during the chase down Highway 105 and onto County Road 707 in Buna.
Deputies found the vehicle at Barba's home. The vehicle was then towed by Vidor police.
"It's probably one of the most dangerous pursuits I've seen just because of what was trailing the vehicle,” Vidor Police Chief Rod Carroll previously told 12News.
Police say Barba weaved through backroads and dirt roads, mailboxes were destroyed, trash bins were knocked over and the suspect left a cloud of debris behind him.
Chief Carroll believes it was by the grace of God that no one was injured in the pursuit. He believes Barba left thousands of dollars in property damage in his wake.
"You can see it took out mailboxes,” Chief Carroll said. “It took out a brick-and-mortar mailbox. The damage that it could have done to a human being, or another vehicle or motorcyclists would have been tragic."
Vidor Police followed Barba from Orange County through Vidor, with the chase ending in Jasper at his house. It was there that Barba left his truck and ran away.
After searching the area, police found the suspect’s pickup truck with the cables still attached. Inside the man's home, police said they found more stolen cables.
"I'm not sure how much was found behind the residence," Chief Carroll said. "This has been an ongoing problem in the rural county, with individuals stealing this cable, melting it down and then selling it at the recycling locations."
Usually during a chase, police would use spike strips to stop a vehicle. Chief Carroll said his officers opted out because it was just too dangerous.
“An officer can get killed very easily,” Chief Carroll said. "The patrol unit itself was damaged. The windshield was shattered from the debris field that was sent up from it."
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