Gang Member Commits Armed Robbery, Shoots At Police During High-Speed Chase
McKINNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A jury sentenced Collin County gang member Marcus Johnson-McBryde to 60 years in prison for shooting at police during a high-speed 2018 chase after a carjacking.
The 23-year-old from Allen pleaded guilty earlier this month to two counts of aggravated assault of a public servant and one count each of aggravated robbery, assault of a public servant, evading arrest, robbery and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
"Sometimes things that go without saying just need to be said, like 'Don't assault officers, don't carjack innocent civilians, don't commit new crimes while on parole, don't rob people or businesses, and don't shoot at police officers,' " said Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis after sentencing.
In the early morning hours of July 5, 2018, McBryde carjacked two people at gunpoint in an Allen apartment parking lot. When a Plano police officer found McBryde on the entrance ramp at southbound US 75 heading west onto the George Bush Turnpike, and attempted to stop him. But McBryde fired multiple rounds at the driver's side window of the squad car, and then accelerated up to speeds of 120 mph.
Additionally officers pursued in three separate squad cars. The chase ended with McBryde crashing into a barrier on the entrance ramp to the Dallas North Tollway. During that chase, McBryde also shot at another Plano officer.
After officers arrested McBryde, detectives interviewed him and he admitted bonding out of jail on a robbery charge just five days earlier.
He said that's why he stole the car and fled from the police; to avoid going back to jail.
Also, while in the Collin County Jail on the charges stemming from his July 5 arrest, McBryde assaulted a detention officer, resulting in an additional charge for assault on a public servant.
McBryde pleaded guilty to all seven charges. During the punishment phase of trial, prosecutors presented evidence of his prior felony and misdemeanor convictions, including evading, possession of drugs at school, criminal trespass, stealing cars, attempted robbery of a pregnant woman, and aggravated assault of a public servant for his brutal assault of a female correctional officer during his incarceration at the Gainesville State School.
Prosecutors also presented evidence of McBryde's membership in the Bloods criminal street gang and that McBryde was on parole for the aggravated assault of a public servant and on bond for his role in a robbery at a Plano Metro PCS store at the time he committed his July 5 crimes.
After hearing evidence, the jury sentenced McBryde to 60 years on the aggravated cases described above, 20 years on the evading with motor vehicle case, 10 years on the assault public servant case, 10 years on the robbery case, and 2 years in state jail on the unlawful use of a motor vehicle case.
