Beaumont police arrested a 21-year-old man Friday afternoon after a vehicle reported stolen out of Fort Bend County struck two vehicles and a pedestrian during a pursuit, authorities said. The department credited license-plate reader technology and its Real Time Crime Center for locating the car and effecting a rapid arrest.
How officers found and stopped the vehicle
Police say the incident began at about 2 p.m. when officers located a vehicle they believed to be stolen and possibly linked to a recent hit-and-run. According to a station account summarizing the Beaumont Police Department investigation, officers attempted to make contact with the car’s driver, later identified as 21-year-old Marquese Thomas, but he accelerated and fled the scene.
During the pursuit, the stolen vehicle struck two other vehicles and struck a pedestrian before the driver abandoned the car and attempted to flee on foot. Officers caught Thomas within moments and took him into custody, police said.
"The pedestrian struck during the chase was transported to a local hospital in stable condition, the report noted."
Evidence recovered, charges and custody
Police who searched the vehicle after it crashed reported finding a handgun and suspected illegal narcotics inside. Investigators also said Thomas had an outstanding warrant at the time of his arrest.
| Item | Reported |
|---|---|
| Recovered firearm | Handgun |
| Suspected narcotics | Found in vehicle |
| Defendant | Marquese Thomas, 21 |
| Booking location | Jefferson County Correctional Facility |
Thomas was booked into the Jefferson County Correctional Facility on multiple charges, according to the report, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading, and unlawfully carrying a weapon. The station account did not provide a full list of all charges filed nor the full booking information.
Victim condition and missing details
Officials said the pedestrian was taken to a local hospital in stable condition. Beyond that update, the police account did not release the pedestrian’s name or provide additional information about the nature or severity of the injuries, nor did it specify the conditions of the two other vehicles that were struck during the pursuit.
Investigators also have not released details about the exact location of the crash or described whether any charges related to the pedestrian or the other motorists will be filed. The vehicle involved in the incident had been reported stolen from Fort Bend County, the report noted.
Technology and past practices
The department said its use of technology — specifically license-plate readers in combination with the BPD Real Time Crime Center — enabled officers to locate the stolen car quickly and narrow in on it before making contact. In recent years, Beaumont police have used similar methods to identify and stop drivers in stolen vehicles.
In a prior 2023 incident, city patrol officers located a stolen Hyundai Elantra in another stop attempt, a case that also involved a driver who fled, according to past police statements. The department’s increasing reliance on automated license-plate recognition and its real-time intelligence center has been a recurring element in how officers track stolen vehicles and suspects.
- Timeline: Vehicle located ~2 p.m.; pursuit ensued; arrest made shortly after crash.
- Injuries: One pedestrian transported to hospital in stable condition; status of other motorists not released.
- Evidence: Handgun and suspected narcotics recovered from the vehicle; outstanding warrant for the suspect.
Police have not released additional information about the investigation or scheduled court dates. WE NEWS will update this report as authorities provide more details and as charging information becomes available through Jefferson County Correctional Facility and Beaumont Police Department releases.
