Douglas Richard (Angelina County)

LUFKIN (KYTX) – A Lufkin man who told officers “it was fun” after leading police on a three-county high speed chase was detained on multiple charges.

Officers arrested 18-year-old Douglas Richard early Tuesday morning following the chase that lasted nearly 30 minutes withspeeds exceeding 120 mph.

The incident began with a call to dispatch from a concerned citizen at 12:10 a.m. about a black Chevy Cobalt with a busted window “flying around a neighborhood” off Atkinson Drive.

An officer caught up to the suspect vehicle and attempted to make a traffic stop after seeing the driver fail to signal at a turn and then run the red light at Atkinson and Timberland Drives.

The driver, identified as Richard, did not stop and instead accelerated to more than 90 mph on Atkinson Drive. The chase began at 12:19 a.m. Richard continued onto state Highway 103 toward Etoile, reaching a top speed of 120 mph and swerving into the oncoming lane, as two other Lufkin officers joined the chase.

The pursuit continued for 27 miles through Angelina, Nacogdoches and San Augustine Counties. Richard brought the vehicle to a stop at 12:38 a.m. on FM 1277 in San Augustine County. 

When asked why he ran, the teen told the officers, because “it was fun.” He went on to say that his registration was out and he did not have insurance. He said he also fled because he did not want his vehicle towed. Officers found a 15-inch decorative knife and unopened beer during a search of the vehicle. 

Richard is charged with felony evading arrest and several misdemeanor traffic offenses, including expired license plates, failure to signal, no insurance, no driver’s license and running a red light.

The man remains in the Angelina County Jail following his arrest which occurred just before 1 a.m. on FM 1277 in San Augustine County. His bond had not been set.