NACOGDOCHES, COUNTY, Texas — An Indianapolis and Chicago man were arrested after a high-speed pursuit in Texas spanned multiple counties and ended in the discovery that the suspects were transporting more than 31 gallons of prescription antihistamine medicine.
According to the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Department, Demarco Bell, 28, of Chicago and Jaylen Joshua Johnson, 22, of Indianapolis were arrested following the pursuit on felony charges of evading arrest along with misdemeanor charges of possing a dangerous drug.
Police said a third suspect evaded police and is still being sought.
The pursuit began at around 7:45 a.m. on Jan. 12 after the suspect’s black Hyundai Sonata refused to stop during a traffic stop and ended up fleeing from deputies, the Texas authorities reported.
During the pursuit, the suspects reached speeds of 115 miles per hour while fleeing from police through multiple counties. At one point, the sheriff’s department stated that the Sonata swerved around spike strips and that a Panola County deputy constable fired at the vehicle claiming it had swerved toward him.
According to the sheriff’s department, the Sonata ended up letting two suspects out of the vehicle in Carthage who fled on foot from officers. The Sonata then continued to flee from police despite having multiple flat tires.
Authorities reported that one of the suspects who fled on foot was apprehended while the Sonata was eventually stopped and the driver was taken into custody. Police provided no clarity on whether Johnson or Bell was behind the wheel of the Sonata.
The sheriff’s department reported finding three suitcases and three boxes packed with 252 one-pint bottles of Promethazine while searching the Sonata. Police said Promethazine is a prescription antihistamine medicine that is sometimes mixed with cough medicine that contains codeine and is abused.
At this time, authorities are unclear how the suspects came into possession of the 252 bottles of prescription allergy medication.
The sheriff’s department stated both Bell and Johnson face charges in Nacogdoches County and Panola County. Both have reportedly bonded out of jail.
