Live Oak Co, TX - Handcuffed Fugitive Steals Live Oak Co. Deputy's Patrol Car - Deputy Shoots At Patrol Car - Chase - Escape

Man Leads Police On Manhunt In Deputy's Patrol Car
KRIS-TV
updated 2:43 p.m. ET, Fri., Feb. 13, 2009
 

LIVE OAK COUNTY - Law enforcement officers spent more than 24 hours looking for a fugitive who stole a deputy's patrol car in Live Oak County.

The search began Wednesday afternoon, just north of George West on Interstate-37, when a Live Oak County deputy pulled over 41-year-old Douglas Morse.

The manhunt for Morse has ended even though he's still on the run.

Morse is no stranger to law enforcement and investigators are hoping a tip will lead them to the fugitive.

After the stop, the deputy discovered Morse was in a stolen pickup. Morse was cuffed and left on the side of the road. He managed to slip the cuffs to the front of his body and got into the deputy's unit.

"While he [the officer] was doing all this, he [the officer] heard something and looked around and he [Morse] was in behind the steering wheel of the patrol pickup, the officer's pickup," Sheriff Larry Busby said.

Morse drove off as the deputy fired several shots at him. After about a five mile chase, Morse crashed through a gate and plowed through a field where the chase ended.

"He went airborne and went over a pretty good gully, and then he rammed into the embankment of the next one and that stopped the vehicle," Busby said.

Next, Morse disappeared into the brush, prompting an intensive manhunt that lasted through the night.

When the truck was recovered Wednesday night, it was found with several bullet holes but no sign of Morse. Morse crashed the truck and abandoned it near George West.

Blood hounds lost his scent just northeast of Whitsett.

Live Oak, McCullen and Orange County deputies all searched for Morse but the manhunt was called off Wednesday morning. However, sheriff officials have a good idea what happened to him.

"He had a cell phone and he called somebody and picked him up there before we could catch up with him," Busby said.

Also, even though the active manhunt is over, Morse is still wanted.

In addition, authorities said Morse has a long criminal history dating back to 1988.

Some of his offenses include unauthorized use of a murder vehicle, burglary, theft and credit card misuse
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