SHERMAN, Texas – Sherman police arrested a man on Tuesday evening after he allegedly drove a pickup truck into the stairwell of a building and then repeatedly attempted to dislodge it, nearly injuring an officer in the process.
Police responded to a crash at approximately 6:57 p.m. on the 2100 block of Texoma Parkway. Upon arrival, officers discovered the truck had breached a breezeway and become wedged in the stairwell. Despite verbal commands from officers for the driver to exit, the man, identified as 69-year-old Billy Ham, did not comply.
Believing Ham might be experiencing a medical issue, officers began clearing debris from the truck. However, while an officer was on the vehicle attempting to break the windshield, Ham reportedly started the truck and accelerated, disregarding the officers’ commands to stop. Ham allegedly attempted to move the truck forward, almost striking the officer, who was able to jump clear.
According to police, Ham then continued to move the truck back and forth in an attempt to dislodge it, causing additional damage to the structure. Officers subsequently used a shotgun to break the window and extract Ham, who was not struck by the gunfire. Ham was finally removed from the vehicle and taken into custody.
He was transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries sustained in the crash. Ham was charged with aggravated assault against a public servant, criminal mischief, and resisting arrest.
