Canton Police Department officers were involved in a hot pursuit through Canton on Saturday, June 18, leading to the arrest of Michael Tuff with charges of evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle, a third-degree felony. According to the affidavit released by the department, officers were alerted that a stolen vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 20, passing the 514-mile marker. As the vehicle approached the 530-mile marker CPD officers got behind the vehicle and activated emergency equipment and the stolen truck pulled over to the shoulders if he was going to stop. Officers observed an object fly from inside the vehicle out the passenger window into the grass just before the guardrail under FM 1255. Officers advised dispatch that something was thrown from the vehicle and then it merged back onto interstate 20 and accelerated away from officers.

Officers then pursued the vehicle heading east on interstate 20 until it exited on mile marker 533 and continued on the service road at speeds reaching 115 miles per hour. The chase merged back onto Interstate 20 and continued until mile marker 540 where it drove off the roadway to the left and crossed the median and went back westbound.

After a few turn arounds and median crossings, DPS help was initiated. As the chase approached FM 1255 once again, officers attempted to spike the truck and the spikes were unsuccessful. The Edgewood Police Department had a unit staged westbound just before the 527 exits. The unit deployed spikes that were successful in deflating the front right tire. The truck exited the 527 westbound and went to the 7-Eleven gas station and the driver identified as Michael Tuff bailed from the driver’s seat with his hands in the air. Tuff was placed into custody and taken to the VZC Justice Center.

The suspected cocaine that was thrown from the vehicle at the beginning of the chase was a small amount and it was retrieved by a CPD officer and placed into evidence.

Officers respond to structure fire

On Wednesday, June 15, CPD officers were dispatched to a structure fire at 149 PR 7136 in Van Zandt County and observed black smoking coming from a structure.

Officers observed a doublewide mobile home and a truck on fire and confirmed that all occupants were out of the home.

While waiting on the fire department to respond, officers observed the fire spread from left to right in the structure and caught another vehicle on fire that was parked left of the original truck.

Additional officers from the CPD along with VZC Constable Pct. 2 Heath Burton arrived on scene. The Canton Fire Department and the South Van Zandt Fire Department arrived on scene to put the fire out.

Officers interviewed occupants of the house who stated that something was burning in the kitchen and it was thrown out into an outside garbage can. A while later occupants notified the adult on the premises that there was a fire and occupants then exited the residence.

The fire is under investigation by the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal.