East Texas

By KENNETH DEAN
Staff Writer

HENDERSON — Two women accused of using a vehicle to ram another causing it to crash early Thursday morning did not allow the victims to get out and seek help at the Kilgore Police Department shortly before the crash.

Rusk County District Attorney Investigator Wi-lliam Brown said 22-year-old Jessica DeShae Medford pulled her vehicle into the police department’s parking lot and got out and tried to get the victims to fight.

Brown said the victims chose to flee and Medford and Brittonie Annett Taylor, 18, both of Longview again began chasing the victims until they rammed the victims’ car causing it to crash into a tree on U.S. Highway 259 about 8 miles north of Henderson city limits.

Police say the entire incident was the result of a fight between the suspects and the victims over an ex-boyfriend. Gregg County records show that Medford was arrested in March for aggravated assault and released on a $10,000 bond.

Rusk County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Bob Richardson set bonds on the two women at $225,000 each.

Both are charged with six counts of aggravated assault with a weapon and one count of felony failure to stop and render aid.

“An altercation between two females took place in Longview and a vehicle chase between the parties ensued. The chase (one vehicle chasing the other) came from Longview through Kilgore toward Henderson until, according to the victims, the suspect vehicle rammed the other vehicle, causing it to crash,” Brown said.

Kilgore Police Captain Hancock said had the victims pushed the button for help they would have gotten it, but he added there are not peace officers staring into the parking lot in the middle of the night.

Brown said it was his understanding that the victims did not have a cell phone and that was why they sought help in Kilgore.

He also stated in an earlier story that it was not the fault of the Kilgore Police Department the victims did not get help before the crash.

The six victims are still hospitalized and three are critically injured. Four of the victims are juveniles and authorities will not release their names.