Ran on foot, kept driving a little too long after the lights came on, panicked instead of pulling over — evading arrest turns a bad decision in the moment into a separate criminal charge, stacked right on top of whatever you were being stopped for in the first place. A Houston evading arrest lawyer can help untangle the two.
What Counts as Evading
- Intentional flight: You have to know a peace officer is attempting to lawfully arrest or detain you and intentionally flee anyway.
- On foot or in a vehicle: The charge applies either way, but using a vehicle significantly increases the punishment.
How Texas Punishes It
- Class A misdemeanor: The baseline offense on foot.
- Third-degree felony: If you have a prior evading conviction and used a vehicle or watercraft, or if the evasion caused serious bodily injury to another.
- Second-degree felony: If the evasion caused someone’s death.
Where the Defense Starts
Whether you actually knew it was a peace officer attempting a lawful detention — versus an unmarked car, a confusing traffic situation, or a legitimate safety concern about pulling over — is frequently the core issue. The lawfulness of the underlying stop matters too.
Charged With Evading Arrest? Contact Blass Law Now
Contact Blass Law for a confidential case evaluation or call (713)-664-4000 so we can start on both charges at once.