Texas 130, closed during police standoff with armed man

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Texas 130 closed during police standoff with armed man

By Grisales

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF

Published: 8:59 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011

Pflugerville police say charges are not expected to be filed against an off-duty

paramedic who led police on a 25-mile chase into southeastern County

early Wednesday morning, followed by an eight-hour standoff on Texas 130, an

official said.

The man was taken into custody shortly before 11 a.m., nearly 10 hours after

officers began chasing a suspicious vehicle that pulled out of a Pflugerville

elementary school, said Jim McLean, Pflugerville assistant police chief .

Because no charges were filed, the man's identity may not be released, McLean

said, citing medical privacy law. Austin- County Emergency Medical

Services spokesman Warren Hassinger confirmed that the man is an off-duty EMS

paramedic.

" The good thing is, he gave up, " McLean said. " No one was hurt; no one was

injured. It ended in the best possible way. "

The incident began about 1:30 a.m. when Pflugerville officers tried to stop a

suspicious vehicle that pulled out of Windermere Elementary School, police said.

The vehicle left the school near Grand Avenue Parkway and headed onto nearby

Texas 45 , then south on Texas 130, McLean said.

The driver called 911 and told the dispatcher that he had a gun but did not want

to hurt officers, police said. After a chase, the vehicle was disabled about 2

a.m. on Texas 130 near Elroy Road, police said. The man then began to threaten

to take his own life, said County sheriff's spokesman Wade.

The County sheriff's office SWAT team assisted on the call, Wade said.

Texas 130 was closed in both directions during the standoff, officials said.

About 10:45 a.m., the man was taken into custody. Texas 130 was reopened shortly

thereafter.

cgrisales@...; 912-5933