Driver dies in shooting after chase into Baytown
HOUSTON, Texas (FOX 26) - A stop for a traffic violation led to a vehicle chase into Baytown that ended with a driver shot to death by various law enforcement officers. Police identified the driver as 36-year-old Ivory C. Pantallion III of Beaumont.
Jefferson County deputies initiated the traffic stop at around 8:53 a.m. Tuesday. The driver of the 1998 Mercedes sport utility vehicle led deputies on a chase along the Interstate 10 westbound lanes, according to Texas Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Craig Cummings.
During the chase, the driver was operating the Mercedes recklessly, at one point almost striking a Baytown police officer who was deploying road spikes, according to Lt. Cummings.
At one point during the pursuit, the driver showed that he was carrying a weapon. To bring the chase to and end, deputies and troopers used a pit maneuver. After the Mercedes crashed, the driver openly displayed a weapon, which forced Texas DPS troopers and deputies to fire their weapons at the driver, who died from the gunshot wounds. Texas Rangers are conducting an investigation into the shooting.