HOUSTON – Police have identified two men who were reportedly casing a neighborhood before leading police on a 50-mile chase from Pearland to southwest Houston Thursday afternoon.
Cory Eugene Tauton Jr., 29, and John Durann Turner, 33, were arrested for engaging in organized criminal activity/ burglary of a habitation.
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The Pearland Police Department received a call reporting suspicious persons in the 8400 block of Nahas Court. The caller said men were asking for people at a home who did not live there. The officer who responded to the call attempted to pull over the vehicle, but the driver refused to stop and a chase began.
The suspects led police on a chase to West Sam Houston Parkway South near West Airport, then fled from their gold minivan, hopped over the median and began running. At least 10 squad cars were seen on the freeway behind the abandoned van and officers began a foot chase.
The men ran from the police and into the sights of security guard Ricky Anderson.
"When I told them to freeze, they continued to run. So I had to draw down on one of them," he said.
Anderson saw the men run into the truck yard of his warehouse complex. He ran outside and confronted them.
"I asked them what they needed and they turned around and ran," said Anderson. "I went outside after them. I said, ‘What can I help you with?' And he said, 'Go, go, go.' And that's when I noticed all the commotion. So I drew down on them."
He didn't stop them, but slowed them down considerably. They jumped a fence and tried to go around the building but gave up when Pearland police caught up with them.
"There was no force needed to detain these guys. They surrendered without incident, although one did fall out," said Anderson.
With guns drawn, officers handcuffed the men. One was taken into custody immediately, but the other had to receive medical attention at the scene.
Paramedics checked him out, then loaded him onto a stretcher.
Police checked the neighborhood where it all started and discovered a home in the 3200 block of Princess Court Bay had been burglarized. Items recovered from the minivan were linked to the burglary.
Police said a juvenile suspect was also involved. He was transported to the Brazoria County Juvenile Detention Center.
The Pearland Police Department, the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety were involved in the chase.