Ethan Nelson Spears Arrested After Elbowing Deputy in the Face During Pursuit

LIBERTY COUNTY, Texas (June 11, 2024) - According to the Liberty County Sheriff's Office, on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, the Liberty County Sheriff's Office Criminal Interdiction Unit was patrolling the area of Grand Avenue and Lakeland Drive in the City of Liberty due to reports of high narcotic traffic. A deputy observed two male subjects standing in the roadway and made contact. During the encounter, the deputy attempted to identify one of the subjects who had a black backpack. When asked to remove the backpack for a weapons check, the subject dropped the backpack and fled.

Ethan Allen Spears MugshotPhoto byLiberty County Sheriff's Office

The deputy pursued and managed to tackle the subject, who then elbowed the deputy in the face and escaped. The subject fled onto a property in the 2600 block of Grand Avenue, known for reported criminal activity. A perimeter was established around the residence, and deputies located the subject hiding in a garage. He was taken into custody without incident and identified as Ethan Nelson Spears, 19, of Liberty, Texas.

A check of the backpack revealed a Glock 9mm handgun with a Glock Switch attached, making the handgun fully automatic. Spears, a convicted felon with previous convictions for evading arrest, was charged with Evading with Previous Conviction (State Jail Felony), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon (Felony 3), Prohibited Weapon (Felony 3), and Assault on a Peace Officer (Felony 2). The case will also be forwarded to the Beaumont ATF Office pending federal charges.