Leon County escapee involved in East Texas pursuit; still on the run

CENTERVILLE, Texas (KBTX) - One of two men who escaped from authorities in Leon County on Friday managed to outrun another group of law enforcement officers in a nearby county following a high-speed pursuit.

Kevin Webb, 33, and Kevin Kahler, 36, escaped from Leon County sometime on Friday afternoon, according to authorities there.

According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Webb was spotted in a stolen pickup truck around 4:00 p.m. Friday near Palestine along Highway 79. According to a Facebook post from Anderson County, Webb stopped alongside the highway and then accelerated in reverse, striking a DPS Trooper’ vehicle. The trooper fired his pistol at the truck, striking it several times before it fled away.

The pickup, which was stolen from Conroe, was found abandoned in a remote wooded area off Highway 79 near the Anderson County and Cherokee County line. Following an extensive search involving multiple agencies, the driver was never located.

On Saturday, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook identified the driver of the stolen pickup as Webb. Deputies say a pistol that was in the pickup truck when it was stolen was not recovered at the scene, so it’s possible Webb may have it. Authorities say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

There’s no word on where Kahler, the other escapee, could be at this time.

The Leon County Sheriff’s Office has not publicly updated its search since Friday evening and a dispatcher on Sunday told us administrators would not be available to speak with us until Monday morning when they return to the office.

Anyone with information about the inmates’ location should call the Leon County Sheriff’s Office at 903-536-2749.