A Houston man is charged with a felony after leading a Cabool Police Department on a high-speed chase on Sept. 23.
Gregory R. Gathe, 48, of 700 S. First St. in Houston, faces a felony charged of resisting arrest by fleeing and a misdemeanor speeding charge.
At about 7:40 p.m., a Cabool officer was dispatched regarding a report of a careless and imprudent driving. The officer was advised that a blue Ford truck was tailgating and driving recklessly, and had pulled into the Casey’s General Store on Ozark Street and had sped away and pulled into the nearby Sinclair gas station.
Upon arrival at the station, the officer saw a man getting into a blue Ford pickup, which then left the business and headed west on Ozark Street. The officer then saw the truck pull into the parking lot at the O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store, and then speed away to the east.
The officer tried to conduct a traffic stop, but the truck didn’t stop and ran through a stop sign at Ozark Street and U.S. 63, before heading south on U.S. 63.
The officer activated his patrol car’s emergency sirens, but the truck picked up speed and weaved through heavy traffic, causing several vehicles to escape onto the shoulder.
As the officer pursued, the truck picked up more speed and went onto U.S. 60 eastbound, and speeds between 103 and 117 miles per hour were reportedly recorded. The pursuit was terminated near the Garden Inn Travel Plaza.
On Sept. 26, a Cabool officer interviewed employees at the Sinclair station and obtained surveillance video. The suspect was ultimately identified as Gathe.
In a separate case, Gathe also faces a felony charge for possession of a controlled substance and a pair of related misdemeanor charges.
A Houston Police Department officer reported that at about 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13, a white 2004 Dodge pickup was pulled over for having no rear lighting illuminated.
During the process, methamphetamine and marijuana were found in the vehicle.
Gathe was charged in both cases on Oct. 28 and is held in the Texas County Jail. His bond for the fleeing charge is set at $350,000, while bond on the drug charge is $25,000.