Fleeing fugitive crashes into DPS vehicle
Deputies attempting to arrest a wanted man in Wilson County described a sequence of events that would have captured the audience of any action movie.
Robert Atkins, 33, was arrested Tuesday after a chase with sheriff ’s deputies near La Vernia, about 30 miles east of San Antonio. Atkins had warrants out of Wilson County for burglary of a vehicle and felony theft of property and has a history of evading police, the sheriff ’s office said.
Deputies first attempted to arrest Atkins at a property in the 100 block of Blackjack Road on Sept. 17 but lost sight of him after he ran into a wooded area.
Deputies conducting surveillance at the same property Tuesday spotted Atkins working on a vehicle. They saw him get into a Dodge truck with two women and attempted to stop them before leaving the property.
He wouldn’t come quietly, the sheriff ’s office said.
While trying to escape deputies, Atkins intentionally rammed a Texas Highway Patrol unit that was assisting with the arrest, according to the sheriff’s office.
Atkins bailed from the Dodge truck and started to run on foot but was stopped by deputies positioned in the surrounding brush.
The DPS trooper inside the vehicle that Atkins rammed was not injured. Deputies also found the Dodge truck Atkins was driving was reported stolen by San Antonio police.
Atkins was arrested on seven charges: theft of property, burglary of a vehicle, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, evading arrest with a motor vehicle with a previous conviction, evading arrest on foot with a previous conviction, possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized use of motor vehicle.
His total bail for the combined charge is $460,000.
The two women in the car with Atkins, Linda Atkins, 60, and Amber Melugin, 38, also were arrested and charged with possessing a controlled substance and hindering with apprehension, respectively.
The sheriff ’s office said investigators are working through other cases involving Atkins and are expected to file more charges against him.