McKINNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A felon fresh out of prison is going back behind bars for 40 years after shooting at police officers and leading them on a chase through four cities.
Evan Kates, 31, of Carrollton, was sentenced to 40 years in prison after he was convicted on three charges of aggravated assault against a public servant. The charges stemmed from an incident back in 2021, shortly after Kates had been released from prison on parole.
At about 2:45 a.m. on August 22 that year, two Allen police officers were conducting a traffic stop on a suspected DWI. Suddenly, a man in a maroon sedan – who was up until this point not involved in the incident – began firing at the officers.
The officers turned their attention away from the DWI to pursue the shooter as he sped from Greenville Avenue in Allen through Fairview and McKinney before entering Melissa. During the chase, the suspect kept shooting at the officers while reaching speeds up to 100 mph.
The driver crashed his vehicle in Melissa at Fannin Road and Center Street before fleeing on foot. Officers from several departments, including Melissa PD, Anna PD, and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, arrived at the scene to help set up a perimeter while an Allen officer and his K-9 began canvassing the area.
The two officers who had pursued the driver during the chase eventually made contact with the suspect on foot before catching and arresting him. He was identified as Evan Kates.
Kates’ vehicle was searched, and officers found a handgun, magazine, and fired shell casings. They also discovered that Kates had just been released from prison on parole three months earlier from an 18-year sentence for aggravated robbery in Denton County.