The Brownwood Police Department issued the following press release Monday morning:

On Sunday, February 5, 2023, at approximately 5:45 p.m., officers with the Brownwood Police Department were dispatched to the 377 Villa apartments in the 4200 block of U.S. Hwy 377S regarding a report of a male assaulting a family member and destroying the apartment.  The male suspect left the scene in a black pickup before officers were able to arrive.

While traveling to the scene, Officer Austin Carlisle observed a black pickup matching the suspect vehicle description.  A traffic stop was initiated in the 100 block of Coleman St. and the vehicle stopped.  Before Officer Carlisle could identify the driver however, he drove away at a high rate of speed.

Officer Carlisle attempted to catch up to the pickup but in the 300 block of Bluffview Dr, the pickup was observed spinning around as if the driver was losing control.  The pickup continued to spin and spun off the roadway and down a short embankment where it struck a corner apartment at 320 Bluffview.  The pickup appeared to sustain heavy damage along with the apartment.  Officers approached the pickup and discovered the driver lying in the floorboard.  He was removed from the vehicle and medical assistance was requested.  No one inside the apartment was injured.  

The driver was identified as 30-year-old Joel David Sandoval of Brownwood.  Sandoval was transported to the Hendrick – Brownwood Medical Center where he was medically cleared then arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and Evading Arrest w/a Vehicle.