Manhunt ends with arrest of 24-year old man

ELLIS COUNTY – Alerts went out last Friday in Ellis County that a manhunt was underway off Highway 287 and Ennis Parkway as the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department and other multiple law enforcement agencies took part in a manhunt that began around 1 p.m.

During the hunt, the Sheriff’s Department requested the public avoid the area, and for those that lived in the immediate area of Ennis Parkway and Highway 287 to stay inside and lock their doors.

The incident began when the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office dispatch received information from the Navarro County Sheriff’s Office that a Rice police officer had been involved in an aggravated assault on a public servant in the City of Rice.

Navarro County reported the driver of a tow truck, Lorenzo Marquez, 24, had just fled the location in a flatbed tow truck after committing an assault of hitting an officer’s patrol vehicle.

Turns out Marquez was also wanted on a probation violation for burglary by the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.

After assaulting the officer in Rice, he then fled the scene in a flatbed tow truck. 

Ellis County Sheriff’s Department got involved when Marquez’s truck, which had last been seen in Navarro County, was reportedly heading toward Ellis County. 

Ellis County Sheriff’s Department reported seeing the tow truck at 1:11 p.m. at Highway 287 and Ensign Road in Ennis.

The deputy who sighted the vehicle stated he had watched the tow truck run a stop sign and travel under Highway 287 to the north service road before he stopped.

A minute later Ellis County Sheriff’s Office Deputy broadcasted that “he had fired his duty weapon due to being ‘rammed’ by the tow truck into his patrol vehicle.”

The patrol vehicle was then made inoperable being pushed by the tow truck approximately 38-feet before coming to rest.

Marquez then fled area and was seen traveling north onto Highway 287. 

Several minutes later a Texas Department of Public Safety Highway patrol trooper saw the tow truck at Nesuda Road and Highway 287 in Ennis, where Marquiez “made an evasive action, turning south onto Nesuda Road, where the vehicle lost control and began to roll from the service road to a field. The driver was seen running from the tow truck to a wood line area towards Bardwell Lake wearing an orange shirt and black shorts.”

Multiple agencies from the area became involved in the manhunt securing a perimeter and command post, where a lengthy search ensued.

At 7:22 p.m., the Texas Department of Corrections K9/Mounted Unit out of Tennessee Colony located the suspect near a waterline of Bardwell Lake. 

Marquez was taken into custody and transported to an ambulance, where he received medical attention for injuries resulting from the vehicle crash. No injuries were suffered to the suspect due to the gunshot. 

The Ellis County Deputy whose vehicle was rammed by Marquez has been put on administrative leave per departmental policy pending the internal investigation of the firing of his duty weapon during the incident.

Marquez has been charged with aggravated assault against public servant (Felony 1) for his actions on the Ellis County Sheriff’s Deputy. He was originally in the care of medical staff, and once released, was to be booked into the Wayne McCollum Detention Center in Waxahachie, to be formally charged and arraigned.

Agencies involved in Friday’s manhunt included The Ellis County Sheriff’s Department, The Texas Department of Corrections and Justice, Tennessee Colony (Beto Unit), Department of Public Safety Fixed Wing Unit, Dallas Police Fixed Wing Unit, Texas, Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers Division, Navarro County Sheriff’s Office, Rice Police Department, Ennis Police Department, Ennis Fire Department, Waxahachie Police Department, Ovilla Fire Department, American Medical Response (AMR), Ellis County Constable Precinct 1, Texas Parks and Wildlife – Game Warden, and Desoto Police Department K9.

“This collaborative effort of all involved led to the successful apprehension so that justice is sought,” Ellis County Sheriff Brad Norman said.