PATTON VILLAGE - The chief of Patton Village's 20-person police force on Tuesday defended his officer's decision to pursue a suspect in a high-speed chase that left the officer and an 11-year-old dead.
At a news conference in this Montgomery County hamlet, Chief Leon "Pete" Verot declined to comment further and discuss or release the department's policy on chases.
With a black band across his badge, Verot confirmed the 6-mile chase began after Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner, 39, responded Sunday night to a 911 call about a man urinating and exposing himself at a Valero gas station at U.S. 59 and Texas 242. The chief said Baumgartner called out to the suspect and tried to detain him.
In wake of fatal chase, police chief declines to detail department chase policy
Man who fled charged with murder in crash that killed two
By Andrew Kragie and James Pinkerton Updated 8:58 am, Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Garrett William Nee is charged with one court of murder, two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
Garrett William Nee is charged with one court of murder, two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
PATTON VILLAGE - The chief of Patton Village's 20-person police force on Tuesday defended his officer's decision to pursue a suspect in a high-speed chase that left the officer and an 11-year-old dead.
At a news conference in this Montgomery County hamlet, Chief Leon "Pete" Verot declined to comment further and discuss or release the department's policy on chases.
With a black band across his badge, Verot confirmed the 6-mile chase began after Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner, 39, responded Sunday night to a 911 call about a man urinating and exposing himself at a Valero gas station at U.S. 59 and Texas 242. The chief said Baumgartner called out to the suspect and tried to detain him.
Baumgartner gave chase west along Texas 242 until a 1998 Chevy Suburban carrying a family of seven collided with his cruiser in the intersection with FM 1485; the posted speed limit on both roads ranges from 50 to 60 mph. A child from the SUV, Adan Hilario Jr., died at the scene.
"He decided he did not want to be detained," Verot said of the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Garrett William Nee, of Kingwood. Police have said that Nee also tried to strike Baumgartner's marked cruiser.
Verot placed blame for the accident on Nee.
"All the guy had to do was stop," he said, adding that he did not think the officer could have done anything to prevent the wreck.
Tyler Dunman, of the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, said Nee returned to the scene after seeing the crash. He was arrested, taken to the Montgomery County jail and charged early Monday with murder, two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, jail records show.He is being held on $1.3 million bail.
While many metropolitan police departments, including HPD, have adopted pursuit policies limiting when an officer can participate in a high-speed chase, Verot did not discuss whether the small Patton Village department had a written policy.
"We just let this guy get away?" Verot said, calling the pursuit an example of "cause and effect."
At a news conference in this Montgomery County hamlet, Chief Leon "Pete" Verot declined to comment further and discuss or release the department's policy on chases.
With a black band across his badge, Verot confirmed the 6-mile chase began after Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner, 39, responded Sunday night to a 911 call about a man urinating and exposing himself at a Valero gas station at U.S. 59 and Texas 242. The chief said Baumgartner called out to the suspect and tried to detain him.
In wake of fatal chase, police chief declines to detail department chase policy
Man who fled charged with murder in crash that killed two
By Andrew Kragie and James Pinkerton Updated 8:58 am, Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Garrett William Nee is charged with one court of murder, two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
Garrett William Nee is charged with one court of murder, two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
PATTON VILLAGE - The chief of Patton Village's 20-person police force on Tuesday defended his officer's decision to pursue a suspect in a high-speed chase that left the officer and an 11-year-old dead.
At a news conference in this Montgomery County hamlet, Chief Leon "Pete" Verot declined to comment further and discuss or release the department's policy on chases.
With a black band across his badge, Verot confirmed the 6-mile chase began after Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner, 39, responded Sunday night to a 911 call about a man urinating and exposing himself at a Valero gas station at U.S. 59 and Texas 242. The chief said Baumgartner called out to the suspect and tried to detain him.
Baumgartner gave chase west along Texas 242 until a 1998 Chevy Suburban carrying a family of seven collided with his cruiser in the intersection with FM 1485; the posted speed limit on both roads ranges from 50 to 60 mph. A child from the SUV, Adan Hilario Jr., died at the scene.
"He decided he did not want to be detained," Verot said of the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Garrett William Nee, of Kingwood. Police have said that Nee also tried to strike Baumgartner's marked cruiser.
Verot placed blame for the accident on Nee.
"All the guy had to do was stop," he said, adding that he did not think the officer could have done anything to prevent the wreck.
Tyler Dunman, of the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, said Nee returned to the scene after seeing the crash. He was arrested, taken to the Montgomery County jail and charged early Monday with murder, two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, jail records show.He is being held on $1.3 million bail.
While many metropolitan police departments, including HPD, have adopted pursuit policies limiting when an officer can participate in a high-speed chase, Verot did not discuss whether the small Patton Village department had a written policy.
"We just let this guy get away?" Verot said, calling the pursuit an example of "cause and effect."
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