Suspect arrested and charged after chase in stolen box truck ends in crash at Bush Airport
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The driver accused of crashing through the gates at Bush Intercontinental Airport during a chase Monday night has a history of running from police, ABC13 has learned.
Karl Hollis, 35, was arrested and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle -- for which he'd already had an open warrant -- felony evading and felony criminal mischief.
It all began at about 9:10 p.m., when deputies with Constable Mark Herman's office tried to stop a person in a stolen box truck in the 20100 block of the North Freeway.
That person was reportedly Hollis, who ended up leading authorities on a chase for approximately 66 miles through parts of Montgomery County and Harris County on the Hardy Toll Road, where officials successfully spiked the vehicle.
Hollis, however, authorities say was able to continue, heading toward the airport and took a left turn into a dead end on McCown, where the truck crashed through the FV5 gate on North Terminal Road.
Officials said the truck crossed taxiways and a cargo area before stopping on the south side of Terminal B, where he bailed from the truck.
But to understand how Hollis landed in handcuffs on Monday night, you have to go back to March 23.
The actual owner of the truck Hollis was driving told ABC13 that on that date in March, he was working at Dunkin' Donuts in the 5000 block of Louetta, and noticed that when he went outside to turn off the water, his truck was gone.
Fast forward to April 3, and that same truck would be found crashed out at the airport.
After Hollis ran off, he was later found inside the tunnels under the airport near the Marriott Hotel.
Amazingly, there were no major impacts to passengers or operations at the airport, but because Hollis is accused of driving through restricted areas, he could also face federal charges.
Still, this wasn't his first run-in with the law in the past month.
On March 26, Hollis was charged in a separate, unrelated incident for allegedly stealing a U-Haul 10 days earlier.
According to court documents, the U-Haul incident occurred after Hollis left jail for a previous offense.
He also has an evading charge from 2019 and 2008.
Hollis is in jail.
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