Pursuit, manhunt in Gonzales County nets armed suspect

Guadalupe and Gonzales County sheriff’s deputies arrested a Cedar Creek man Monday, April 3 after a pursuit through three counties that ended in an hour-long manhunt near Private Road 2002.

Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified at 4:45 p.m. Monday that Guadalupe County was in hot pursuit of a suspect on US 183 entering Gonzales County after turning off Interstate 10 in Caldwell County. The suspect, later identified as 47-year-old Steven Turley, was allegedly armed and had intentionally rammed into a Guadalupe County patrol unit.

The chase continued south on US 183 and into and through the city of Gonzales, where Gonzales Police Department officers tried to spike Turley’s vehicle. Turley turned onto Texas 97 by JB Wells Park, Arena & Expo and traveled westbound before turning onto County Road 200 and then driving through a fence near Private Road 2002.

Turley fled the vehicle on foot into a brushy area not far from the Guadalupe River. An unidentified female passenger was located in the vehicle who told deputies Turley was still armed. It appears that she was not a willing participant in the events that occurred.

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responded to the scene and requested their helicopter to assist with the search. Also assisting was the Nixon Police Department with its K9 unit, which helped to track Turley, as well as Gonzales County constables from Precincts 1, 3 and 4 and the investigator from Gonzales County Attorney’s office. The Gonzales County Emergency Medical Services provided water for the searchers as well as a UTV to aid in the search.

After an hour-long search on foot, Turley was located by Gonzales County deputies and taken into custody without incident and was turned over to the Guadalupe County.

He was charged with aggravated assault against a public servant, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, tampering or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair its use, unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful restraint and parole violation.

Turley has a prior arrest in Guadalupe County for theft of property less than $2,500 (two or more previous convictions); resisting arrest, search or transport; theft of a firearm; failure to identify as a fugitive with intent to give false information and prior parole violations.