On November 5, 2024, Terrell Police responded to a Flock Camera alert from Dallas Police regarding a stolen vehicle connected to a recent robbery. Officers located the vehicle on Rosehill Road in Terrell and attempted a traffic stop as it tried to leave. The vehicle fled, leading to a pursuit along Interstate 20, which ended when the car crashed into the center barrier, leaving it inoperable.
Three occupants were injured in the crash and taken to a hospital for treatment. Two were identified as Manuel Dejesus Martinez Jr. and Derric Dione Simmons. During the investigation, officers discovered that Martinez and Simmons had kidnapped the third occupant from another jurisdiction, forcing him to Terrell. They reportedly took him to a residence where they confronted the homeowner at gunpoint, binding and blindfolding him before ransacking the home. The suspects were leaving with the victim when officers attempted the stop, initiating the chase.
Upon searching the vehicle, officers found around 4 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and multiple firearms. Simmons faces charges including Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, multiple counts of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Evading Arrest, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Burglary of a Habitation. Martinez was also charged with Manufacture and Delivery of a Controlled Substance, Aggravated Kidnapping, and Burglary of a Habitation.
