Blotter: Man drives stolen car off road, jumps fence to escape officers

Officers saw a vehicle matching the description. The report states the driver appeared to notice the patrol vehicles, accelerated and turned.

When the officers caught up, they reported seeing the suspect vehicle slow to a roll, drive over a curb off the road and come to a stop against a tree. A man exited the vehicle and ran, hopping over a fence as he fled, according to police.

There was not anyone else in the vehicle when officers approached. The vehicle was damaged in the front. The officers established a perimeter in the area and deployed drones to search for the man, but they did not find him.

Grapevine police confirmed that this vehicle was reported as stolen, and they contacted the owner. When the owner came to collect it, he confirmed that the vehicle didn’t have any damage before it was stolen.

Denton police are still investigating the incident.

Other reports

2800 block of West University Drive — A 54-year-old man who was previously convicted of sexual assault was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly did not comply with his sex offenders registry duties, according to a police report. The man is already indicted on the same offense.

On May 2, sex offender compliance officers went to visit the man at his last verified address in the 5700 block of Mills Road. The man was convicted in 2008 of sexually assaulting a 30-year-old woman.

They weren’t able to contact him. So, they spoke with the property manager who said the man hadn’t been living there since November or December of 2022. The man is required to report any change of address.

The report states the compliance officers also found unreported social media accounts the man had made. He is required to report if he creates a new social media account within seven days. These were older than that, according to the report.

Having allegedly failed to comply with those conditions, officers applied for warrants for the man’s arrest.

Detectives learned the man would be in the 2800 block of West University Drive on Tuesday. At about 10:38 a.m., detectives saw a vehicle matching the description of his driving through a parking lot.

They conducted a traffic stop and placed the man under arrest on suspicion of failure to comply with sex offenders’ duty to register, a third-degree felony offense. While searching him prior to transport, officers allegedly found a meth pipe.

During the book-in process, officers saw a small plastic bag sitting on the bench where the man had been sitting. The substance in the bag field-tested positive for methamphetamine, according to the report.

Police checked the security cameras, and the report states the bag was not there before the man sat down. When he stood up, the video allegedly showed the bag where the man was sitting. No one else had passed by the bench at the time, according to the report.

He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Denton County court records indicate the man was indicted on Dec. 5 for allegedly failing to comply with his duty to register as a sex offender annually for life. That case is ongoing in the 158th District Court of Judge Steve Burgess.

1900 block of U.S. Highway 175 Frontage Road — A 20-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of stealing $10,000 worth of fragrances from Ulta Beauty, according to a police report.

On Feb. 16, Denton police were dispatched to a report regarding a theft at Ulta Beauty in the 1800 block of South Loop 288. The manager said the offense actually took place on Feb. 13.

The manager said two people came in and stole $9,678 worth of men’s and women’s fragrances. She said the people had been arrested for stealing from another Ulta Beauty location in Flower Mound. She gave officers the suspects’ names, provided security footage and confirmed that the business would like to press charges.

Denton police learned that officers in Euless arrested one of the suspects on Feb. 15 for also allegedly stealing from an Ulta Beauty. The report states the woman was transferred to the Kaufman County Jail at some point for a different offense but it did not specify what or when.

After issuing theft of property warrants for both suspects, Denton police served the warrant to the 20-year-old woman on Tuesday.

Police department spokesperson Amy Cunningham said it was unclear whether the other suspect had been served with the warrant yet.

Roundup

From 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, the Denton Police Department handled 333 service and officer-initiated calls and made seven arrests.