Car Chase Ensues After Gunshots During 911 Call
Normangee Police Chief – Charles Herford.
Following gunfire, a brief chase, and negotiations by police radio, Normangee Chief of Police, Charles Herford, was arrested and booked into the Leon County Jail.
At around 1:55 a.m. on Wednesday, March 22, 2017, a 911 call came into dispatch from Chief Herford’s home in the 400 block of North 4th Street in Normangee.
Texas Rangers say the dispatcher spoke briefly to Chief Herford’s wife, Molly, but then the call dropped. When they called back, investigators say, the dispatcher heard two gunshots.
Leon County Chief Investigator, Victor Smith states that he was dispatched to a “shots fired and possible suicide call” at the Chief’s home.
When Investigator Smith, Deputy Stephen Pate, and Sergeant Jimmy Gifford responded to the scene, they saw Herford speeding away in his police unit; and he refused to pull over when they attempted to make a traffic stop as he drove through town, leading to a short chase before deputies lost him.
It was later that deputies realized that he had turned off his vehicle lights, effectively evading them; ditched the vehicle, and walked the few blocks back to his residence.
At around 5:30 a.m., deputies found Chief Herford at his home; but he refused to come out. For the next hour and a half, deputies negotiated with him via police radio before he finally gave up peacefully and without incident.
After being apprehended, Chief Herford confessed he was having an argument with his wife inside the residence when he picked up a handgun and discharged it. He says he was unaware of the direction in which the bullet fired.
He further confessed that his wife and two small children were in the house when the gun was discharged. The children are said to have been asleep at the time of the incident.
Chief Herford denies that he was trying to shoot his wife or children.
Charges include one count of a Third Degree Felony – Deadly Conduct and one count of a Third Degree Felony – Evading with a Motor Vehicle.
Chief Herford posted bail late Thursday morning.
Normangee Mayor, Gary Dawkins, describes the situation as “very sad, not only for the city, but him and his family.” He further states that it is unclear if the arrest will affect Herford’s employment, but he will likely be placed on some type of leave pending the resolution of the case.
Mayor Dawkins says that city leaders will meet in emergency session later this week to discuss new policing options as the small department is left with only one part-time deputy. In the mean time, Leon County Sheriff’s Office is assisting with law enforcement inside Normangee city limits.
