Truck driver arrested following multi-county pursuit

PANOLA COUNTY – A multi-county box truck pursuit ended Thursday morning when a deputy hit the truck, preventing it from entering a school zone. The Panola County Sheriff’s Office said the driver has been arrested with additional charges expected.  According to our news partner KETK, at around 7:19 a.m. the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office notified Panola County Dispatch that a Tatum officer was pursuing a box truck on Highway 149 and was headed toward Panola County.

“The Tatum officer was monitoring traffic on Hwy 149 on the north side of Tatum, when the truck passed him in the oncoming traffic lanes,” the Panola County Sheriff’s Office said.

The sheriff’s office said deputies, constables and Department of Public Safety troopers responded and some joined the pursuit as the truck continued to travel into the oncoming lanes. A constable used his patrol vehicle to hit and disable the truck at around 7:25 a.m. before it entered a nearby Beckville school zone, PCSO said.

Authorities said the driver will be charged with evading arrest and aggravated assault on a peace officer with more charges expected to be filed by the Tatum Police Department.

“We are thankful that this pursuit was brought to a safe conclusion with no injuries to the public, officers, or suspect,” the sheriff’s office said.