Freedom Lost on Independence Day
Crockett Man Arrested on Five Felonies, Five Misdemeanors
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – While most people celebrated their freedom and independence last Thursday, one Crockett man lost both his freedom and celebratory spirit as he was arrested and charged with five felonies and five misdemeanors before the rocket’s red glare could fade from the July 4 skies.
Just before midnight on Independence Day, Crockett resident Dushaun Dewayne Harris, 24, was taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit and charged with: evading arrest; assault / family violence; burglary of a habitation; assault causing bodily injury of a family member with previous convictions; criminal mischief x 2; interfering with an emergency telephone call; assault of a family member or member of a household by impeding breath or circulation x 2; and assault / family violence with previous convictions.
The charges stretch as far back as February of 2019 when Harris allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend. He was also a suspect in three other assaults of his ex-girlfriend – one in March, one in May and one in June. Harris had previously been convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member in August of 2015.
During the June assault, Harris pushed his way into his ex-girlfriend’s residence “… then proceeded to grab multiple objects in the residence such as a TV, an X-Box, a lamp and (his ex-girlfriend’s) iPhone, throwing the objects and breaking them. After destroying the residence, Harris proceeded to hit (his ex) several times. While Harris was hitting her, he began to grab her hair, pulling it and throwing her into the wall,” according to an affidavit of probable cause.
On the evening of July 4, Harris was spotted by Crockett Police Officers while on patrol in the Lewis Circle area.
“With the belief that Harris would flee on foot, officers parked patrol units on Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard so that Harris would have a less likely chance of fleeing. Officers, in full police uniform, then moved on foot to the area of Lewis Circle where Harris was last seen,” a separate affidavit stated.
Harris was observed approaching a residence and when a police officer called out his name, he ran inside the residence and out the back door.
The affidavit reported as the foot pursuit began, Officer Steven Witherspoon “… observed Harris’ shoes fall off of his feet. Harris then ran through an opening in a fence and onto Gibson Lane. As Harris was running through the property of a residence on Gibson Lane, Harris fell to the ground.”
Harris was apprehended, placed under arrest and transported to the Houston County Jail where he remains on bonds totaling $123,000.
The most serious charge Harris faces is a second degree felony for burglary during the June assault of his ex-girlfriend.
According to Section 12.33 of the Texas Penal Code, “An individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment in the institutional division for any term of not more than 20 years or less than two years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual adjudged guilty of a felony of the second degree may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000.”
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
