KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - A teenager, reportedly out on bond for vehicular manslaughter, is accused of threatening a Katy smoke shop clerk and setting off a two square mile search of the Katy area Tuesday night.
Harris County Sheriff's Deputies say two men threatened to kill an employee at the Rock 'N Roll It Smoke, Vape and Hemp store. The shop is in a strip mall along I-10 next to the In-N-Out Burger at Katy Fort Bend Road.
Deputies took the men into custody, but one took off while still in handcuffs.
"The suspect broke free and jumped into the drainage ditch and into a culvert that runs east and westbound paralleling I-10," an on-scene deputy said.
A deputy fell while attempting to catch the man.
"The deputy is ok but is being taken to a hospital for precautionary evaluation," Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said in a Tweet shortly after 8 p.m.
Multiple police agencies responded, including the Katy Police. The smoke shop is in Harris County on the City of Katy boundary.
The search was extensive. Deputies looked in the drainage ditch and a drainage tunnel. They also removed manhole covers in an attempt to locate the young man. The Katy Freeway feeder road between Highway 99 and Katy Fort Bend Road was closed during the search.
Deputies and police officers knew they were close to finding the suspect when they recovered some of his wet clothes.
Shortly after 9 p.m., Sheriff Gonzalez Tweeted that the man was found. He is a 17-year-old male who will likely face multiple charges. His name was not revealed at the scene.
The second suspect who did not flee will also face charges.
Covering Katy News
A clerk at this smoke shop said the suspects threatened to kill him.