Published: July 01, 2008 10:27 pm      

Investigation of chase yields new information

After extensive investigation into the June 19 high-speed chase of a Brenham man through Montgomery and Walker counties, the Texas Rangers have discovered several additional pieces of information.

According to Texas Ranger Steve Jeter, lead investigator in the case, it has been determined that 21-year-old Casey F. Brunette received multiple wounds during the course of the chase which ended when Brunette shot himself near a Huntsville business.

“Brunette did have one wound which was apparently a self-inflicted wound, and we’re waiting for confirmation from the medical examiner’s office for more information about that wound,” Jeter said. “Brunette did have two wounds to the body, and we hope to know something more in the next week or two.”

Jeter said five different law enforcement departments based in Walker County and Montgomery County were involved in different stages of the pursuit, which began in Montgomery County at around 5 p.m. on June 19.

“The Montgomery County communications center received multiple phone calls from Brunette’s family members which indicated that they believed Brunette intended to cause harm to a girlfriend,” Jeter said. “One other report received followed him from Brenham to the area where he was located in Montgomery County.

“At that point, the police attempted a traffic stop, and when he wouldn’t comply, he was pursued up into Walker County by multiple state, county and local units.”

During the course of the pursuit, Jeter said Brunette injured two policemen from two different agencies using a handgun he had in his truck.

In addition to the units dispatched from Montgomery County, Department of Public Safety troopers, Walker County sheriff’s deputies and Huntsville police joined in the pursuit.

“Brunette began shooting at police once he was pursued into Walker County,” he said. “He injured two policemen, one from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department and another from the Montgomery County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office.”

Once in Walker County, Brunette continued into Huntsville, traveling from Interstate 45 to state Highway 75 South onto Sam Houston Avenue.

During the chase, a car driven by Sam Houston State University assistant basketball coach Jamene Caldwell was damaged, but Caldwell was not injured.

“Throughout the pursuit, we had multiple police cars damaged and one citizen’s car, but the citizen in the car received no serious injuries,” Jeter said.

When Brunette hit a dead end at Janes Asphalt and Concrete Paving, located on 16th Street, he attempted to escape but finally came to a halt when his truck struck a Montgomery County deputy constable’s vehicle.

Brunette shot himself at approximately 5:30 p.m.

“This case is still under investigation, and we’re still trying to figure out what his intent was, even though we know what the 911 callers thought,” he said. “I don’t know of any history of mental instability with Brunette. In fact, he had actually just gotten out of the Army.”