San Angelo, TX — A tense two-day manhunt for a wanted fugitive came to a dramatic conclusion earlier today when Joe Lucio, 40, of San Angelo, was taken into custody after barricading himself inside a residence and ultimately falling through the ceiling during a standoff with law enforcement.
Lucio, who was wanted on charges of State Bail Jumping and Failure to Appear on felony firearm charges, had managed to evade capture for two days before deputies located him this morning in the 1400 block of Gregory Drive.
At approximately 11:05 AM, deputies with the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office observed Lucio outside a residence. Upon spotting deputies, Lucio fled into the home, refused verbal commands to surrender, and barricaded himself inside.
In response, the Tom Green County Special Response Team was activated and deployed to the scene. Upon making entry into the residence, deputies discovered that Lucio had climbed into the attic in an attempt to conceal himself.
To safely extract the fugitive, deputies deployed chemical munitions into the attic. During the operation, Lucio attempted to shield himself from the chemicals but lost his balance and fell partially through the ceiling. He was immediately taken into custody without further incident.
Lucio was later transported to the Tom Green County Detention Center, where he is being held on his outstanding warrants. Additional charges may be forthcoming in connection with today’s incident.
“This arrest highlights the effectiveness of interagency cooperation and the professionalism of our deputies,” said a spokesperson for the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office. “Despite Lucio’s attempt to flee and barricade himself, no injuries were reported, and the situation was resolved safely.”
The Sheriff’s Office expressed appreciation to the San Angelo Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for their assistance in apprehending Joe Lucio.
Contact:
Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office
All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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