Pursuit ends in crash and felony charges
Richard Spradling, 23, faces a series of felony charges after he fled from Burnet County Sheriff's Office deputies Monday, Jan. 3, in a pickup truck, which eventually crashed at the intersection of Texas 29 and U.S. 281 in Burnet. He is also wanted by Williamson County on a charge of theft of property. Burnet County jail photo
A Burnet County man is in jail after leading law enforcement on a chase down Texas 29 that resulted in the suspect crashing into a second vehicle at the U.S. 281 intersection in Burnet.
Sheriff’s deputies charged Richard Spradling, 23, with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
According to a Burnet County Sheriff’s Office media release, deputies and Heart of Texas Auto Theft Task Force investigators were conducting surveillance of the suspect at a home off of County Road 304 on Monday, Jan. 3. They watched the man, later identified as Spradling, driving a “distinctive” white Chevrolet pickup.
When deputies attempted to pull Spradling over, he took off in the truck. Deputies pursued the suspect west on Texas 29 into Burnet. According to the media release, Spradling crashed into a Burnet County vehicle at the intersection of Texas 29 and U.S. 281, “causing heavy damage to both vehicles.”
A female passenger was in the truck with Spradling. Emergency medical personnel evaluated Spradling, the passenger, and a Burnet County employee for minor injuries following the collision. No one needed hospital care.
Burnet Police Department officers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers assisted with the crash scene.
Spradling was booked into the Burnet County Jail on the three felony charges. He is also wanted on a warrant out of Williamson County for a charge of theft of property between $20,000 and $100,000.
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Unauthorized use of a vehicle is a state jail felony punishable by up to two years in jail, and evading arrest is a third-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Bond had not been set as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4.