A family in Harris County, Texas, was shocked when, all of a sudden, a stolen vehicle crashed into their dining room. Fortunately for them, no one was injured at the time, and the man behind the wheel is now behind bars on multiple unannounced charges.
As reported by ABC13 Houston, citing Harris County Precinct 2 Constable Jerry Garcia, the chain of events began earlier on Saturday, May 16. The suspect, identified as Abelardo Vazquez, had allegedly stolen a truck from a restaurant parking lot.
Police officers eventually attempted to conduct a traffic stop, to no avail. According to Constable Garcia, Vazquez fled, eventually reaching the intersection of Colgate and DeLeon Street, which is an otherwise peaceful neighborhood.
Allegedly, Vazquez, during the pursuit, crashed into a residence. Shortly after, Garcia said, the suspect fled on foot and was ultimately detained in a nearby bayou.
Mother Hears an “Explosion”
Moments before the crash, Carol Taylor was home alone inside the aforementioned residence. All of a sudden, the woman was caught off-guard by what she described as an “explosion.” It was actually the truck described above, which had crashed into her dining room.
Reacting accordingly, the woman came face-to-face with Vazquez, she told ABC13 Houston. At that moment, she feared for her life.
“I think for a minute I thought maybe I was going to die because I didn’t know if he had a gun,” Carol said, holding back tears. “When he came back, I saw him a second time. I just thought it was over for me.”
Grateful and Blessed Woman
Fortunately for the Texas woman, the unwanted introduction didn’t escalate any further. She was even grateful about the incident’s outcome, pointing to an almost untouched trouble she used to pray and read the Bible.
“This is where I sit, at this table to read, and it all survived,” she added. “Just a little dust, and it survived. That’s a blessing right here.”
Husband Criticizes Pursuits
Carol’s husband, John, while relieved that no one was hurt, believed that local police should have handled the pursuit better. In his own words, these sorts of incidents “make innocent people suffer,” especially since children play outside in his neighborhood.
“I understand their main goal is to catch the criminal, but don’t make innocent people suffer in your pursuit of the criminal,” John said, adding, “You’re chasing crooks, but you’ve got to think about us, too.”
Pending Charges, Suspect’s Past Criminal History
No information regarding Vazquez’s injuries, if any, was shared by local authorities. Furthermore, no charges have been formally announced at the moment.
Authorities, however, did confirm that Vazquez had an auto theft history.