HILL COUNTY, Texas — The suspect who reportedly got away from police at a Waco hospital following a crime spree in Itasca, Texas, was captured by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force in Hubbard Thursday morning, according to Lt. William T. Fausnacht with the Itasca Police Department.
In an email to 6 News, Fausnacht said the suspect, identified as Casey Phillips, started the crime spree in Burleson, Texas after he shot at another vehicle while driving. He then abandoned that vehicle in Itasca, he said.
Phillips then broke into an unoccupied 18-wheeler in Itasca and left behind a 9 mm handgun, he said.
He then approached a third vehicle that was being driven by a 17-year-old girl with her mother in the passenger seat. Phillips reportedly attacked the girl with a knife and stabbed her, Fausnacht said.
An 18-year-old Itasca High School student intervened and disarmed the suspect, he added, however Phillips was able to gain control of the vehicle by pushing the 17-year-old into the passenger seat with her mom.
As Phillips began driving, both the mother and daughter were able to jump out of the vehicle, the lieutenant added. The two were injured, but the extent of their injuries are not known at this time.
Phillips eventually crashed and rolled their vehicle on FM-67, east of the city, he said. A Hill County deputy and Itasca sergeant arrived at the scene of the crash and took Phillips into custody.
While officers were starting paperwork, medical personnel who arrived on the scene told them Phillips needed to be transported to the hospital for apparent injuries to his head and legs, Fausnacht said.
However, there was miscommunication between the departments about which hospital Phillips was headed to, Fausnacht added. Police were told Phillips was being taken to Hill Regional Hospital, but instead he was taken to a hospital in Waco, he said. As a result, Phillips arrived at the hospital unattended and was able to leave shortly after, Fausnacht said.
"BSW Public safety holds no responsibility for the individual leaving because they has no way of knowing Phillips was just involved in a crime spree," Fausnacht said in an email.
The U.S. Marshal Service, along with the Texas Rangers, then conducted a search for Phillips. They were able to arrest him in Hubbard around 11 a.m. Thursday.
No other information was released at this time.
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