police chase

Shelter in Place Lifted in Sunnyvale, Person Apprehended After ‘Dangerous Situation,' 16-Hour Search

No injuries were reported in the exchange of gunfire following a police chase in Kaufman County Thursday

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A person sought by police in what was described as an ongoing "very dangerous situation" that spanned 16 hours overnight has been identified and apprehended, city and police officials in Sunnyvale confirm.

The Kaufman County Sheriff's Office said deputies tried to stop the driver of a stolen car just after 6 p.m. Thursday and that the driver fled and crashed into another driver near Jobson Road and U.S. Highway 80 in Sunnyvale, in neighboring Dallas County.

The sheriff's office said as the driver of the stolen car ran from the crashed vehicle he fired multiple shots at deputies. The sheriff's office said no injuries were reported after the exchange of gunfire.

On Thursday evening, police asked residents in Sunnyvale to shelter in place and lock their doors until otherwise notified.

Police said officers from several agencies spent Thursday night searching for the driver and believed they had him contained in a wooded area. At 6 a.m. Friday, police said they were confident of the man's location but that he had not yet been apprehended.

Because the situation was ongoing, Sunnyvale ISD said they expected to have a delayed start Friday but as the police activity continued later into the morning they decided to cancel classes for the day.

At about 9:30 a.m. Friday the shelter-in-place order for residents was lifted, though no arrest had been confirmed. Just after 11 a.m., Sunnyvale Police said the person sought by police had been apprehended near the Meadowlake neighborhood off Jobson Road and that the manhunt was over.

Police said the man, identified as 20-year-old Omar Robledo, was unarmed when he was found and that he was turned over to the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office. Robledo is expected to face several charges, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest in a vehicle, evading arrest or detention and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against a public servant.

“Our police department is just one reason Sunnyvale continues to be one of the safest communities in North Texas,” Sunnyvale Mayor Saji George said in a statement Friday. “I’m proud of the persistence and professionalism our officers exhibited during this extraordinary situation.”

A man who was a passenger in the stolen vehicle, identified by police as 20-year-old Alejandro Honorato-Calderon, was arrested and is facing drug possession charges.

Bond amounts for Robledo and Honorato-Calderon have not been announced and it's not clear if they've obtained attorneys.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were involved in the pursuit and resulting search. They included the Sunnyvale police and fire departments, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, Forney Police Department, Dallas County Sheriff's Office, Mesquite Police Department, Department of Public Safety Air 1, Balch Springs Police Department, Richardson Police Department, Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers, Dallas Police Department, Kaufman County Pct. 2 Constables Office, Texas Department of Corrections Tracking Team out of Bonham, and Garland Police Department SWAT.

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