Man arrested after 100 mph chase; officials say trailer “full of marijuana”

KILGORE – A man was arrested in Kilgore Friday after officials said a pickup truck towing an allegedly stolen U-Haul trailer took off as a K9 unit in Smith County tried to make a traffic stop. And late Friday afternoon, we learned the story had taken on a significant illegal drug angle. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Larry Christian says the truck led authorities on a chase around 11:30 a.m. down I-20 into Gregg County, with speeds exceeding 100 mph. Officials say the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and DPS deployed spikes in front of the truck before the pickup exited onto Highway 42. The driver blew through several red lights in Kilgore as sparks began to fly from the tireless rims of the truck and trailer, according to authorities.

The truck was spiked a second time by authorities before officials said the driver attempted to turn around in the median of Highway 259 south of I-20 and was stopped and arrested at 12:10 p.m. He was charged with evading arrest and possession of stolen property, and officials say additional charges are possible. In a late development, Kilgore police said the trailer was “full of marijuana.”