Williamson County deputy kills man on Texas 195 after high-speed chase

A Williamson County deputy shot and killed a man along Texas 195 in Bell County after he led officers on a chase Thursday, officials said. Sheriff ’s deputies had been called to check on his welfare.

Officials from the Fort Hood military base called the Williamson County sheriff ’s office at 1:11 p.m. to check on the welfare of a man west of Florence, said Sheriff Robert Chody. He said the man had been involved in a civil disturbance with his “significant other” the night before.

Deputies found the man’s car but were not sure if he was in it, so they deployed a drone to see if he was in or near the vehicle, Chody said. At some point, he said, the man saw the officers and drove away, leading at least two deputies on a chase at speeds of up to 110 mph.

The pursuit started in Williamson County, Chody said, and ended up on private land along Texas 195 just north of Mountain Creek Road. He said several law enforcement agencieswereinvolvedinthepursuit.

The man got out of the car with a gun and ran, Chody said. He fired at least once, the sheriff said. Chody said he did not know if the man pointed the weapon at deputies.

A Williamson County deputy then fired one shot and struck the man, Chody said. The deputies called paramedics, he said, but the man was pronounced dead around 1:55 p.m.

The sheriff said he did not believe there was a connection between the man and the area where he was killed.

Chody also said that officials did not know if the man was driving toward the location of his significant other. He said the deputy who shot the man was “visibly upset” afterward.

The deputy has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in an officer-involved shooting.

Texas Rangers and the Bell County sheriff’s office are investigating the incident.

Chody said he did not know if the man who died was a soldier.