High-speed chase goes through Hedley

A Memphis man remains in custody in the Hall County Jail this week after he led officers on a high speed chase in two counties before being shot and eventually captured in Donley County last Wednesday, November 24.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn said his office received a call at 10 a.m. that the Hall County Sheriff’s Department and Memphis Police were pursuing a white four-door car into Donley County on US 287.

The subject, Terry James Mackie of Memphis, had fled from officers at the Hall County Courthouse as he was being arrested on a warrant to revoke his probation for burglary, Blackburn said. Mackie reportedly assaulted a Hall County Deputy before fleeing in the car. He led officers on a chase around Memphis before leaving town on SH 256.

Blackburn said Mackie then came back into Memphis, got on US 287 toward Donley County, and rammed the Hall County sheriff’s truck at a blocked intersection.

Donley County Deputy Mike Spier tried to stop the subject at County Road 26 on US 287 by shooting the suspect’s tires. Mackie was hit by one round in the low back, the sheriff said, but he continued to flee into Hedley.

The sheriff said his officer was justified in shooting at the suspect.

“The subject had already committed aggravated assault on a peace officer, and he was disregarding public safety, running at speeds over 100 miles per hour,” Blackburn said. “We did not want him entering a populated area, and we were not going to let him into Clarendon due to the fact that we did not want an innocent bystander getting killed.”

Blackburn and State Trooper Chad Simpson were set to intercept the subject west of Hedley, but Mackie turned north on SH 203 toward Wellington. About one mile outside of the McKnight community, Blackburn said Mackie’s car was rammed and knocked off the roadway by Memphis Police. The subject then took off on foot across some CRP land where he was apprehended by officers from the Hall and Donley County sheriff departments.

Mackie was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo where he was treated before being returned to the Hall County Jail.

Blackburn said Mackie is now facing charges of Assault on a Peace Officer, Aggravated Assault on a Peace Officer, and Evading.