For roughly two hours, DPS Troopers and Lubbock Police conducted a manhunt for John Matthew Moreno, 22. At about 10:30 a DPS Trooper pulled over Moreno and his passenger in a pickup truck at Frankford Avenue and Amherst Street.
During the traffic stop the officer learned that Moreno was wanted for domestic assault. DPS said Moreno drove off. The officer fired a shot at one of the back tires.
Despite a flat tire Moreno got away until he was spotted again at County Road 1170 and County Road 6870 west of Lubbock. Moreno and his passenger were both arrested just before 12:30 pm.
During the search for Moreno, DPS used a helicopter and officers on the ground followed a trail of rubber and rim marks along the streets and highways.
DPS issued the following statement Friday afternoon:
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers stopped a vehicle around 10:30 this morning at the intersection of Amherst and Frankford in Lubbock. The driver was pulled over not wearing a seatbelt.
The trooper made contact with the driver who identified himself as John Moreno, 22 years of age. The trooper ran a license check on Moreno and he came back with an active warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The trooper went back to Moreno’s vehicle and attempted to arrest him. Moreno evaded arrest in his 1989 Chevrolet pickup. The trooper attempted to disable the vehicle by discharging his firearm at the left rear tire. Moreno continued to evade arrest through residential streets and the trooper lost sight of the vehicle.
At approximately 12:30, DPS received a tip that Moreno was at a residence near CR 6870 and CR 1170. Troopers responded to that residence and witnessed Moreno flee on foot. Troopers caught and arrested Moreno. A passenger that was in the vehicle was also located at that residence. Moreno was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center and charged with felony evading with a vehicle along with the active warrant. The passenger has not been charged at this time. DPS troopers were assisted by DPS Criminal Investigations Division Special Agents, DPS Aircraft Section, Lubbock Police Department and Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office.
