A suspect has been charged in an incident in which an HPD officer discharged his duty weapon at 5000 Westheimer Road about 5:20 p.m. on Sunday (May 25).
The suspect, Maxie Ray Whitaker, 42, is charged with aggravated assault of a peace office in the 488th State District Court. A photo of Whitaker, who remains hospitalized, is not available.
HPD Sergeant R. Marquez was transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital – Texas Medical Center for treatment of non life-threatening injuries. Sergeant Marquez, assigned to the Central Patrol Division, was sworn in as an officer in May 2001.
HPD Homicide Special Investigations Unit Detectives J. Windham and A. Henderson reported:
Off-duty HPD officers were working an extra employment job at a business in the 5000 block of Westheimer when they were alerted that a suspect vehicle, described as a blue Nissan Versa, was in the area and had recently been involved in a jugging, or predatory theft, incident at the at the location.
One HPD Sergeant and two officers located the suspect vehicle and attempted to stop it to make contact with the driver. Before the officers could reach the driver, he drove the vehicle into oncoming traffic. The sergeant and officers pursued the vehicle, and when it temporarily stopped in traffic, they attempted to remove the suspect from the vehicle.
The suspect began advancing into traffic and struck another vehicle, which caused the sergeant to become pinned inside the driver’s door of the suspect’s vehicle. While still attempting to flee, the suspect hit a second vehicle, further pinning the Sergeant in the door. At that point, the sergeant discharged his duty weapon more than once, striking the suspect.
The suspect then drove over the median and stopped at the sidewalk on the opposite side of the road. Officers rendered aid, and the suspect was transported to a local hospital in critical condition by the Houston Fire Department. HPD Sergeant Marquez was also transported for non-life-threatening injuries.
The Harris County District Attorney’s Office was contacted and accepted charges of aggravated assault on a peace officer against the suspect, identified as Whitaker.
As is customary in HPD officer-involved shooting incidents in the Houston city limits, this case is being investigated by the HPD Special Investigations Unit, the Internal Affairs Division and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
JKS/SOA 5-27-25
Inc. #068135725