A Florida man was arrested after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase in an 18-wheeler, cutting across road meridians and side-swiping unsuspecting vehicles.
Christopher John Lubowski, 51, was slapped with two felony charges including possession of a controlled substance after a chase lasting over two and a half hours took authorities across multiple counties.
The pursuit began around 1.45pm on Saturday, when the Roman Forest Police Department responded to a report of reckless driving.
Officers trailed the big rig as it tore down Highway 59 in Montgomery County.
Christopher John Lubowski, 51, was arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase across multiple counties in Texas
Lubowski, who is originally from Ormond Beach, Florida, was seen driving over a road meridian
The 18-wheeler was brought to a stop only after police shot out its tires, forcing Lubowksi to surrender
Dashcam video shows the truck careening down the freeway, weaving between lanes. It brakes suddenly and makes a U-turn, sweeping across all lanes of traffic.
Shortly after, the truck plowed towards incoming vehicles, hitting Gean Fernandez’s car.
‘I didn’t think I was going to make it, because it was so fast,’ Fernandez told ABC13.
But the chase didn’t stop there. The semi later exited the interstate, plowing through red lights and swerving over a road meridian.
At one point, it turns down a dirt road and rips past acres of farmland with police in hot pursuit, kicking up a storm of dust.
The chase involved law enforcement agencies from Montgomery, Harris and Fort Bend Counties, among others.
It ended through the collaboration of several Houston-area agencies, including the Houston Police Department and the Department of Public Safety, and all required tactical forces including aviation units.
According to authorities, Lubowski was powering through dense residential neighborhoods and was forced to stop in the city of Fulshear – only once police shot the tires off the truck.
Dashcam footage shows the big rig tearing past and nearly grazing the officer’s car
The 51-year-old sped through red lights, weaved between lanes and even executed a U-turn on the highway that left another vehicle damaged
The chase involved multiple law enforcement agencies including officers from Montgomery, Harris and Fort Bend Counties
Chief Stephen Carlisle of Roman Forest PD says meth is believed to have been found in Lubowski’s possession, but the substance’s identity is currently unconfirmed
The 51-year-old man was booked in the Montgomery County Sheriff Office’s jail
Dan Wampler, who lives in an apartment complex near to where the chase ended, told Eyewitness News that he saw deputies with guns drawn and pointed at the vehicle.
‘I went back inside, and I said, “This is serious,”‘ Wampler said. ‘I can’t remember in my life, seeing this many police cars at any event like this at once.’
Roman Forest Police Department posted to Facebook, lauding the work of Sgt. Jeff Campbell, Officer Adam Garcia ‘and all assisting agencies.’
Lubowski, who is widowed, hails from Ormond Beach, Florida. He is described as having brown hair and blue eyes and stands at 6’4″ tall.
The 51-year-old is charged with evading arrest, a third degree felony, and possession of a controlled substance, a second degree felony.
Chief Stephen Carlisle of Roman Forest PD said the substance was thought to be methamphetamine, but this detail had yet to be confirmed.
Lubowski was booked into the Montgomery County Sheriff Office’s jail.
