3 Arrested After Nacogdoches Pursuit Reaches Speeds Over 140 MPH

The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) arrested three people and recovered three stolen vehicles following a high-speed pursuit that ended in the Cushing area on Thursday, September 5.

Malachi Daniel Dorch, 19, of Pearland; Holland Marcell Smith, 17, of Marshall; and Jarrell Lamar Handford, 19, of Lewisville, were all booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail.

Handford (left in photo) is charged with four third-degree felonies for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle and engaging in organized criminal activity. Dorch (right in photo) is charged with three third-degree felonies for engaging in organized criminal activity and a Class-A misdemeanor for evading arrest. Smith faces three third-degree felonies for engaging in organized criminal activity.

The pursuit began around 8:04 a.m. when an NCSO deputy on patrol in the 3000 block of North Street saw a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro with obscured paper tags nearly collide with another vehicle when changing lanes.

When the deputy attempted to make a traffic stop, the driver, later identified as Dorch, fled at a high rate of speed, traveling north on U.S. 59, then on to U.S. 259 at speeds over 100 mph. At one point, the driver was clocked at 143 mph.

The driver sped through the Central Heights school zone and continued north before turning onto State Highway 204. Due to the high rates of speed, deputies frequently lost sight of the vehicle, but patrol units working throughout the county quickly found it again.

He sped through the Cushing school zone and attempted to flee using county roads, crossing from CR 975 across Highway 204 and onto CR 878. As deputies searched the area, the driver attempted to hide the vehicle in a hay barn and flee the area on foot.

Deputies located the car and a K9 was brought in to help search for the suspect. During their search, a green 2014 Chevrolet Corvette was observed slowly driving through the area. When deputies attempted to stop that vehicle, the driver tried to leave the scene. As the driver attempted to leave, he collided with a patrol unit and became stuck, and the driver and passenger were taken into custody.

At this point, Dorch was still at large, and the Corvette and Camaro were both found to be reported stolen out of Dallas. Dorch was eventually located in the 700 block of CR 878 and surrendered to deputies around 11:20 a.m.

While interviewing the suspects that afternoon, NCSO investigators were able to determine the location of a third stolen vehicle, a 2024 Chevrolet Camaro, which had been concealed in a local parking garage. It had been reported stolen out of Austin, Texas.

This is an ongoing investigation.