On November 2, 2023, at around 1:00 am, officers from the New Braunfels Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the Mockingbird Heights subdivision, following a series of vehicle burglaries in the area.
The vehicle in question was identified as a stolen Hyundai Sonata from San Antonio. To address the situation, law enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop. However, the driver of the stolen vehicle refused to comply, leading to a high-speed pursuit that extended onto I-35 southbound, heading into San Antonio. The pursuit continued onto Loop 410 and San Pedro, ultimately ending when the stolen vehicle crashed in the vicinity of Patricia Drive.
Four individuals inside the stolen vehicle fled on foot following the crash. Law enforcement was able to apprehend two of them. Seventeen-year-old Joseph Joshua Harris, a resident of Converse, was taken into custody and transported to the Comal County Jail. A 14-year-old male from San Antonio was detained and later transported to the Guadalupe County Juvenile Detention Center.
Both apprehended suspects are now facing charges of Evading Arrest or Detention, Unlawfully Carrying a Weapon, and Theft of a Firearm. Authorities found four handguns inside the stolen vehicle, with two of them reported as stolen.
The other two individuals who fled the scene on foot were not located, despite efforts by K-9 units and aerial patrols involving helicopters. The incident is still under investigation, and additional charges may be pending as authorities work to gather more information about the situation.
The New Braunfels Police Department would like to remind residents to always lock your vehicle and to never leave firearms in your vehicle, especially overnight. Make it hard for the criminals! LOCK, TAKE, and HIDE all belongings! And report suspicious activity in your neighborhood by calling 911 or 830-221-4100.
