ANDERSON COUNTY, Texas — A suspect is dead and an Anderson County deputy was wounded in two shootouts Saturday afternoon.
According to DPS, first shooting happened at the Hickory Ridge Mobile Home Park on Hickory Ridge Road.
The Palestine Herald-Press reports the deputy and the suspect, 34-year-old Terry Countryman of Elkhart, were in an altercation that escalated to a shootout.
DPS says when troopers arrived on the scene shortly after 3:15 p.m., they found the deputy had been seriously injured from the shooting. Troopers helped give the deputy first ahead while additional troopers were called into assist.
Meanwhile, Countryman fled in the deputy's vehicle.
DPS says Countryman was located nearby and rammed a Palestine Police vehicle while shooting at officers. The suspect fled on foot with a rifle taken from the deputy's vehicle.
Countryman stole another vehicle, a blue SUV. Afterward, crashing the SUV, he fled into a wooded area.
A DPS trooper found Countryman near Farm-to-Market Road 2330 and County Road 458 at about 5:30 p.m. He pointed the rifle at the trooper. The trooper fired his weapon and hit the suspect.
EMS units responded to the scene and took Countryman to the hospital, where he later died. The trooper was not hurt.
The Palestine Herald Press says the wounded deputy was taken to Tyler for surgery.
The identity and condition of the deputy has not been released.
The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident.
