Man pleads guilty to evading arrest after leading authorities on chase

TYLER — On Tuesday, a man pleaded guilty to evading arrest in a Smith County court and was sentenced to 13 years in prison. In November 2022, Rick Dixon, 61, was involved in a multi-county chase with officers that exceeded speeds of 100 mph, our news partner KETK reported. Dixon was reportedly driving a truck with a stolen U-Haul trailer attached when he failed to stop for officials attempting a traffic stop. Officials said he continued down I-20 into Gregg County, where the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and DPS deployed spikes in front of the truck on Interstate 230 before the truck exited onto Highway 42. The truck had to be spiked a second time after authorities said Dixon blew through several red lights while sparks began to fly from the tireless rims of the truck and trailer.

According to the Kilgore Police eventually stopped the truck. A K9 unit indicated that the trailer was “full of marijuana.” Dixon was initially charged with theft of property, possession of marijuana and evading arrest. On April 4, the charges for theft of property and possession of marijuana were dismissed. Dixon pleaded guilty to evading arrest.