LPD arrested Leland Randolph, 37, of Lufkin, on a stolen vehicle warrant Randolph was taken into custody around 5:10 p.m. on Thursday 12/2/2021 after an officer with LPD pitted the truck Randolph was driving on Buttermilk Road.
The pursuit, which reached top speeds of 80-90 mph, started on state Highway 94 around 4:40 p.m.
In the days leading up to the pursuit Lufkin Police Department and Angelina County Sheriff's Office had been working a joint investigation on reports that Leland Randolph, a convicted felon on parole, was in possession of a fully-automatic rifle, multiple stolen guns, and stolen vehicles.
Randolph was reported to be keeping the stolen firearms in a storage unit at a business on state Highway 94 west just outside of Lufkin city limits.
Through the course of that investigation, LPD obtained three felony warrants on the 37-year-old Lufkin man for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance.
Thursday afternoon investigators spotted Randolph with three women at the storage facility on Highway 94. Due to Randolph possibly being armed with an automatic weapon, investigators planned to approach him with extreme caution, utilizing an armored vehicle and members of the SWAT team.
When authorities arrived at the storage facility, Randolph and two of the women later identified as January Powers, 33, of Huntington, and Alice Horton, 30, of Pollok, were taking items from a storage unit and placing them in a black Chevy pickup. They spotted officers entering the business gate through a pair of binoculars.
Randolph then quickly fled with Horton as his passenger in a blue Dodge pickup, driving through two fences before getting onto the highway.
A pursuit, which reached top speeds of 80-90 mph, then ensued from Hudson into Lufkin.
At one point Randolph jumped the railroad tracks between Southwood and College Drives causing major rear end damage to the pickup.
The pursuit then went back outside Lufkin city limits onto Buttermilk Road. That is where an officer who is certified in pursuit intervention technique “PIT,” ended the chase by bumping the back of the pickup.
Following the collision, Randolph jumped out of the driver’s side window and attempted to flee on foot, but he was tackled and taken into custody.
Horton stayed with the vehicle and was taken into custody for evading arrest with a vehicle. Powers was taken into custody at the storage facility for being in possession of the stolen Chevy pickup. She also had a warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. The third woman was released from the scene.
ACSO investigators recovered a rifle, several pistol magazines, an assortment of ammo, and liquid methamphetamine from the storage unit. They will also file a warrant for criminal mischief due to the damage done to the fences.
Randolph remains in the Angelina County Jail on the three felony warrants and new charges of evading arrest with a vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and two counts of possession of a controlled substance.
This incident marks his 25th booking at the Angelina County Jail.
LPD- (Thanks to Constable Tom Selman for his assistance in the pursuit!)
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