Press release
On Wednesday afternoon, a Henderson County Jury delivered a quick verdict after deliberating for only 8 minutes. The jury, composed of eight woman and four men, convicted Joshua Paul Calhoun, 34 of Athens, of Evading Arrest or Detention with a Motor Vehicle and also found that he used the vehicle as a Deadly Weapon in the course of committing the offense. The trial took two days in the 173d Judicial District Court with Judge Dan Moore presiding.
Assistant district attorneys Nancy Rumar and Justin Weiner prosecuted the case on behalf of Scott McKee’s Henderson County District Attorney Office.
In closing arguments Weiner said, “I am not only asking you to find Mr. Calhoun guilty with a finding that he used a vehicle as a deadly weapon, I am asking for you to deliver your verdict swiftly. A swift verdict will send a message to Mr. Calhoun, and anyone else, that we as a community will not tolerate people driving stolen vehicles 90 mph on county roads trying to get away from peace officers.”
Rumar added, “It is bad enough the he was brazenly driving around in a stolen vehicle but he also risked the lives of anyone driving that day. Thankfully, we will never know how deadly this situation could have been.”
On June 18, 2014 Henderson County Sheriff’s Deputy Cynthia Clements received information that a black 2002 Dodge pickup truck, that was reportedly stolen by Joshua Calhoun, would be traveling South in highway 155 crossing Lake Palestine. Deputy Spencer Gray noticed the vehicle and began to follow it confirming that the license plate matched that of the stolen truck. Deputy Clements followed Deputy Gray as the pickup truck turned onto County Road 4222. Failing to yield to Deputy Spencer’s lights and siren, the pickup truck sped up down the one land County Road.
The jury watched video captured by dash cameras which showed extremely dangerous maneuvering by Calhoun in the pickup. Reaching speeds of 90 mph, two bystander’s vehicles were run off of the road. Calhoun drove at high rates of speeds through turns and at one point cut through the front yard of a home. After miles of speeding down various County Roads, Calhoun temporarily got away while forcing through the entry of a hay pasture. Deputies would ultimately find the severely damaged and no longer drivable pickup at the very end of a pasture in front of an opening into a heavily wooded area.
Multiple agencies were called out and responded to assist in what became a manhunt involving upwards of 25 officers. Officers with the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Department of Public Safety, Frankston Police Department, Coffee City Police Department, and even tacking dogs from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice where used to help located Calhoun who began running through thick woods on foot.
Investigator Michael Shelley of the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office patrolled part of a four mile perimeter used by the Command Staff of the Sheriff’s Office to contain Calhoun. Investigator Shelley, a member of the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force, noticed Calhoun on the porch of a steel building attempting to blend in with his surroundings. When Investigator Shelley approached Calhoun, he ran towards a brick home and ultimately fled toward a nearby tree line. Calhoun, when pursued at gunpoint by Investigator Shelley, ultimately gave up and identified himself when he was taken into custody. Calhoun was found approximately one mile from where the stolen pickup was found.
Eventually, the pickup was processed for evidence and Investigator Shelley located several items of evidentiary value. He located a check made out to Calhoun which was folded in a Bible, a Whataburger receipt, and a Kroger’s receipt. After acquiring the surveillance footage from both businesses, Investigator Shelly identified Calhoun in the black pickup going through the drive-through at Whataburger only 14 minutes before the pursuit began. The jury watched surveillance footage from both locations which provided damaging evidence to the defense.
McKee applauded the efforts of all of the officers and agencies involved. “The discretion, bravery, and caution that these Deputies used during this pursuit, safely ended what could have easily been a deadly situation. Additionally, the investigation by Michael Shelley really went the extra mile to insure that we had he evidence we needed to seek this conviction.”
A sentencing hearing has been set for February 12, 2014 at 9:00am in the 173rd Judicial District Court.
Calhoun has numerous arrests, including an arrest in March of 2009 for theft of an airplane from the Athens Airport.