On December 19, 2023, at approximately 11:30 p.m., a San Saba Police Officer attempted a traffic stop in the 1600 block of West Wallace. Witnesses reported that the driver was speeding, driving recklessly, and performing hostile actions toward other drivers. The vehicle was described as a white Ford Mustang with red racing stripes, bearing Texas LP #SGS-0217.
As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect tried to evade detention at high speed with the vehicle’s headlights turned off. Within a short period of time, suspect wrecked his vehicle near the corner of Woodlawn and Ninth Streets in San Saba.
With the vehicle stopped, a San Saba Police Officer and a San Saba Sheriff’s Deputy exited their vehicles with duty weapons drawn while giving verbal commands for the suspect to exit his vehicle. Instead, he drove his vehicle toward the Sheriff’s Deputy. Fearing for the safety of the deputy, the San Saba Officer discharged his firearm into the front and rear tires of the suspect’s vehicle. Again, the suspect attempted to evade at a high rate of speed while running over several street signs and mailboxes in the area.
The suspect was arrested in the 100 block of South 8th Street and was taken into custody after striking an industrial size dumpster. The suspect has been identified as Johnathan Dortch, an 18-year-old male from San Saba. He has been charged with Aggravated Assault against a Public Servant, (a first-degree felony), and Evading Arrest with a Vehicle (a third-degree felony). Two additional participants, who were also in the suspect vehicle during the incident, were interviewed and released at the scene.
'We are still investigating this incident, but we can confirm that neither the San Saba Police Officer nor the San Saba Sheriff Deputy were injured during this incident. The suspect vehicle was severely damaged, and the driver caused significant damage to public as well as privately owned property.' San Saba Police Chief John Bauer.
This investigation, by the San Saba Police Department, remains on-going.