CUSHING, Texas — Three teenagers have been arrested after stealing vehicles and leading officers through a high-speed chase through Nacogdoches County on Thursday morning.
Malachi Daniel Dorch, 19, of Pearland, Holland Marcell Smith, 17, of Marshall and Jarrell Lamar Handford, 19, of Lewisville have all been charged with organized criminal activity. Handford and Dorch have additionally been charged with evading arrest.
Officials said the pursuit began around 8:04 a.m. when a deputy from Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office saw a 2024 Chevrolet Camaro with obscured paper tags nearly hit another vehicle while changing lanes. When the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, the driver, who was later identified as Dorch, drove away at a high rate of speed. He reportedly travelled north on U.S. 59 before crossing over to U.S. 259 at over 100 mph. Officials said the driver clocked speeds of 143 mph.
Dorch sped through the Central Heights school zone and continued north before turning onto State Highway 204, speeding through the Cushing school zone and attempted to flee using country roads, crossing from CR 975 across highway 204 and on to CR 878.
NCSO said due to high rates of speed, deputies frequently lost sight of Dorch, but patrol units working throughout the county were able to locate the vehicle.
As deputies searched the area, Dorch allegedly attempted to hide the vehicle in a hay barn and run away from the scene. Deputies located the car and a K-9 unit was brought in to help search for the suspect.
During the search, officers observed a green 2014 Chevrolet Corvette slowly driving through the area. When deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver attempted to leave the scene, but collided with a patrol unit and became stuck. The driver and passenger, who were identified as Smith and Handford, were taken into custody. The Corvette and Camaro were both found to be reported stolen out of Dallas.
Dorch was eventually located in the 700 block of CR 979 and surrendered to deputies around 11:20 a.m. While interviewing the suspects that afternoon, NCSO investigators determined the location of a third stolen vehicle, a 2024 Chevrolet Camaro reported stolen in Austin, that had been concealed in a local parking garage.
"The sheriff’s office would like to thank the Texas Department of Public Safety, Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, Nacogdoches Police Department, and Stephen F. Austin State University Police Department for their assistance with this case," Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Office said.
This investigation is currently ongoing.