A man, accused of sending area law enforcement on a multicounty pursuit endangering the public, has received a stiff sentence in a Burnet County courtroom.
On March 10, a Burnet County jury found Ryan Anthony Lopez, 40, of Pleasanton guilty of evading arrest with a motor vehicle and aggravated assault on a public servant.
The jury sentenced Lopez to 10 years in prison and assessed a $10,000 fine on each count. Under Texas law, Lopez’s sentences will be served concurrently, so his sentence totals 20 years.
Lopez was arrested on June 23, 2024, following a multi-county, high-speed pursuit that spanned Mason, Llano, Burnet, and Lampasas counties.
The incident began when a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper observed Lopez pass his patrol vehicle on the shoulder of a roadway in Mason County at a high rate of speed.
When Lopez refused to stop, a pursuit was initiated that drew the coordinated response of multiple law enforcement agencies.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Lopez posed a significant danger to the public throughout the pursuit, officials say.
Officers testified that Lopez reached speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour and ran a red light at approximately 90 miles per hour – even after his front-left tire was successfully deflated by a spike strip deployed by the Llano County Sheriff’s Office on Texas 29 near Llano.
“Fearing for the safety of the public, Trooper Alexander Goch attempted to force Lopez’s vehicle off the road,” according to a media release from the 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
“Lopez repeatedly swerved his vehicle toward Goch, placing the trooper in imminent danger,” the statement read.
The lawman was able “to use his firearm to successfully deflate one of the vehicle’s rear tires, and a second spike strip deployment in Lampasas County finally ended the pursuit.”
After an approximately one-hour standoff, Lopez was taken into custody.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sheri Bloom and Barton Vana on behalf of the 33rd/424th District Attorney’s Office, before the Honorable 33rd Judicial District Judge Allen Garrett.
“The prosecutors noted that the outcome of this case may have been very different if not for Trooper Goch’s training and experience.”
Vana praised the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Llano County Sheriff’s Office, the Burnet County Sheriff’s Office, the Burnet Police Department, and all Lampasas County law enforcement officers “for their skill, professionalism, and seamless interagency coordination throughout the pursuit.”
Burnet County District Attorney Perry Thomas stated, “I am proud of the joint efforts of the multiple law enforcement agencies that worked together to stop this pursuit.”
Thomas also thanked the jury for their service, and their tough stance on crime in Burnet County. “It helps keep our Texas Hill Country community a great place to live.”
