Smith County Chase Leads to Two Arrests

TYLER — A man and a woman, accused of trying to hit a Smith County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Sergeant with their vehicle, are in custody following a five mile, high-speed chase. Arrested was the driver, Alan Dale Crouch, 42, and his passenger, Amber Roxanne Johnson, 31.

Shortly after 11:00 Sunday morning, the Whitehouse Police Department started chasing a red Ford F-150 in connection with a 911 call from a motorist who reported that a man was assaulting a female inside the vehicle. The truck fled north on Highway 110 and then west onto Loop 49. Smith County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Sergeant Tobby Hughes heard the pursuit on the radio and was waiting for the vehicle on the Loop. Officers say Crouch swerved his vehicle in the direction of Hughes’ vehicle, but didn’t hit it. From there, the chase continued on Loop 49 at speeds of about 100 mph and then turned south on FM 756, then east on Oscar Burkett Road.

Officers say Crouch then drove the truck down an embankment crossing both lanes of Loop 49 and up the other side, where he continued onto County Road 2297 and wrecked the vehicle. Crouch fled the scene, but Johnson, was still there. She was arrested for an outstanding parole violation. The K-9 Units from both Whitehouse and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office were called to the scene to locate Crouch. He was found hiding in a tree.

Crouch had two outstanding warrants and was taken into custody shortly after noon. He faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for attempting to strike Sergeant Hughes with his vehicle and is expected to face other charges.