SMITH COUNTY, Texas — A Bullard man was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to evading police while driving a U-Haul van in February with stolen property inside throughout Smith County and later crashing into two vehicles in Tyler.
Steven Shelton-Groves, 30, pleaded guilty Monday morning in the 475th District Court, according to officials.
The Smith County Sheriff's Office said he drove a U-Haul van with stolen items in the area of Hebron Road and County Road 384. Deputies learned he had a probation violation connected to a weapons law violation and he was flagged as possibly being armed and dangerous.
A deputy initiated a traffic stop on Old Longview Road in Smith County, and she ordered Shelton-Groves to turn off the vehicle, the sheriff's office said.
However, he sped off in the U-Haul and the deputy turned on her lights and began a pursuit. The chase ended near the intersection of E. Fifth Street and SSE Loop 323 in Tyler, officials said.
The sheriff's office said Shelton-Groves continued east on Fifth Street disregarding a red signal light, and he struck two vehicles that were moving south on Loop 323. Because of the wreck, several people were hurt, including Shelton-Groves and his female passenger.
