Lockdown at Temple’s Travis Middle School This Morning

For ten minutes this morning, Temple ISD's Travis Middle School was placed on lockdown. According to Temple PD, here's the reason why:

Monday, March 04, 2013—
Vehicle Pursuit Leads to Arrest

This morning, at about 7:50 am, a Temple Police officer observed a vehicle driving recklessly north bound on Interstate Highway 35. The officers initiated a traffic stop for the moving violation(s). The driver of the vehicle exited onto S.W. HK Dodgen Loop and sped away from the officer instead of pulling to the right and stopping his vehicle.

A vehicle pursuit ensued which lasting just over 10 minutes. The driver stopped the his car at Avenue R and South 21st Street, and when officers attempted to removed the suspect from the vehicle, the driver violently resisted the officers. Officers were forced to deploy a Taser in order to gain control of the male suspect and place him in custody.

The driver was identified as Thomas Kiefer, a 34-year-old Killeen man. He was the only occupant of the car.

Mr. Kiefer was taken to Bell County Jail, charged with Driving While License Invalid, Resisting Arrest, and Evading Arrest with a Motor Vehicle.

The Evading case will be reviewed later today with the Bell County District Attorney’s Office, and bond will be set thereafter.

Due its close proximity to this incident, Travis Middle School was placed on lockdown for approximately 10 minutes as a precaution only. At no time was the school or any of the students in danger.