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SHERIFF: Deputy hospitalized after being hit in head with hammer by wanted sex offender during standoff in Deep East Texas

The suspect was taken into custody around 1:15 a.m., Saturday morning.

GROVETON, Texas — A Trinity County deputy was injured while responding to an hourslong standoff that occurred Friday night into early Saturday morning.

According to Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace, a wanted suspect barricaded himself in an RV around 9:15 p.m., on Kickapoo Rd. in Groveton. Sheriff Wallace says the man is a two-time felon having been to prison for sexual assault of a 16-year-old and a 54-year-old. Although his sex offender registration had him living in Polk County, Sheriff Wallace says he had been hiding out in the Groveton area since April.

When officials went to serve their arrest warrant, the man ran and locked himself in the RV.

"If you're going to be a sex offender and you're going to live in this county, you damn well better be registered or we're going to put you in jail and send you back to prison where you belong," Sheriff Wallace said.

Just after 1 a.m., Sheriff Wallace said the man was in custody and was on his way to a hospital. He also said a deputy was injured during the incident after being hit in the head with a hammer by the suspect. 

"I don't believe I've seen anybody be this hard to get into custody before in my life," Sheriff Wallace said. "This guy took multiple canisters of CS, pepper spray, did not have anything shielding it -- no mask, no nothing. I've never seen anything like it. He ended up getting tased -- probably rode the lightning for 45 seconds before he decided to give up. That was after six men were holding him down trying to get cuffs on him -- unbelievable, incredible, supernatural strength I guess from the adrenaline or whatever else he may be on -- I have no idea."

Sheriff Wallace says the Angelina County Sheriff's Office also assisted in the arrest.

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