On Thursday, October 16, 2025, a Tarrant County jury found 65-year-old Thomas McClendon guilty of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
The case stems from an incident on February 18, 2024, when Fort Worth police spotted a vehicle reported stolen from Abilene traveling nearby on I-35. Officers activated their lights and sirens to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle failed to yield, prompting a pursuit.
During the chase, police deployed tire deflation devices, which ultimately forced the vehicle to stop. McClendon was identified as the driver and subsequently arrested.
The jury determined that McClendon’s actions constituted evading arrest in a vehicle, a felony under Texas law, leading to the lengthy prison sentence.
