2 shoplifting suspects jailed after high-speed pursuit at rush hour

It’s a given that police officers don’t get to choose what type of vehicle to engage in high speed pursuits with. 

If they did, they surely wouldn’t have chosen to keep up with a high-performance vehicle like a BMW — although that’s what happened in Sa Marcos Wednesday during the afternoon rush hour. 

Police were summoned to a theft in progress at a store in the Tanger Outlet Mall at 5:36 p.m. Wednesday, according to an email from SMPD Commander Kelly Bomersbach.

“Witnesses observed two subjects stealing from the store and saw them getting into a black BMW SUV,” Bomersbach wrote. Police located it and attempted a traffic stop but the vehicle didn’t stop, instead running a red light and heading north on the Interstate 35 access.

“Officers attempted the Pursuit Immobilization Technique (PIT) but the vehicle spun out,” she wrote, referring to a maneuver by which a police vehicle can force a fleeing car to turn sideways, causing the driver to lose control. However, it didn’t work, and the BMW continued northward, entering the intestate proper and traveling at speeds “over 100 miles per hour in addition to passing other vehicles on the left shoulder,” Bomersbach said. 

She said “officers” followed with emergency lights and sirens, but did not say how many or if other jurisdictions became involved, into Austin.

The technique was employed again in the 2401 block of South I-35 in Austin shortly after 6 p.m.and was successful.

“A high risk traffic stop was conducted and both occupants were taken into custody,” Bomersbach said, adding that clothing stolen from the business, which she did not name, was in large trash bags along with “items commonly used to shoplift (large magnets, security tag remover, large shopping bags.)”

The driver of the vehicle was identified as Brandee Alise Burrage, 48, of Round Rock, and the passenger as Kevin Ray Sorrells, 52, of Austin. Each was charged with evading arrest, a third degree felony, theft, a Class A misdemeanor and unlawful use of a criminal instrument, a Class B Misdemeanor. Bond for each was set at $60,000 and both were still behind bars as of Daily Record press time.

The SMDR was not allowed to speak directly to police regarding the incident. Bomersbach’s email was sent from City Hall in response to a request from the newspaper for information about the incident.