Suspect fleeing Wood County deputies fatally struck by vehicle on Hwy 80

MINEOLA, Texas (KLTV) - On Wednesday evening, a man who was fleeing Wood County deputies died after being struck by a vehicle.

According to Texas DPS Sgt. Adam Albritton, at about 6:30 p.m. a suspect was being pursued on foot by deputies. He ran into traffic on Hwy 80 east of Mineola, and was struck by a vehicle.

At 9:40 P.M., The Wood County Sheriff’s Office released further information. They stated that the deputies had responded to a call about shots having been fired east of Mineola off of Hwy 80. When the deputies arrived, the suspect had run into the woodline.

A perimeter was set up in an attempt to locate the suspect. While on scene, the sheriff’s office was notified of several houses being broken into near the area of F.M. 1801. Additional sheriff’s units arrived in the area and eventually began “pushing into the tree line” in an attempt to locate the man.

Eventually he exited the woods near Hwy 80 and ran into the highway, where he was struck by a vehicle that was passing by. A 9mm pistol was located near the deceased man’s shoes in the roadway, the sheriff’s office noted.

He was taken by helicopter to a Tyler hospital where he was pronounced dead.

DSP troopers arrived to help investigate. The scene has now been cleared, Albritton said. The identity of the suspect will not be released until next of kin has been notified, as always.