Habitual Offender Sentenced to Three Concurrent 45-Year Sentences

A 31-year-old repeat offender from Mereta was sentenced to three concurrent 45-year sentences in Judge Ben Woodward’s 119th District Court on Monday, after pleading guilty to evading arrest with a vehicle, bail jumping/failure to appear and cocaine possession.

George Henry Walker was on parole when he committed a traffic offense on Aug. 13, 2013, prompting San Angelo police patrol officer Kelly Reaves to initiate a traffic stop. Rather than halt, however, Walker sped away, blowing through at least six stop signs before exiting his vehicle and continuing on foot.

Walker was captured by SAPD officers Chappa and Thomason, who found the man hiding in the bushes. Walker resisted, but was arrested and booked into the Tom Green County Jail for evading, violating his parole and possession of marijuana.

On Dec. 7, 2013, Walker bonded out after posting a $100,000 surety bond, but failed to appear to a court date on Aug. 3, 2014, resulting in yet another charge and a warrant for his arrest. On Sept. 15, 2014, San Angelo City Marshal David Baker located Walker hiding out in a relative’s apartment on Sunset Dr. with his wife.

At the time of his arrest, Walker was in possession of over a gram of cocaine and some marijuana. On Monday, Walker appeared before Judge Woodward for all three charges and pled guilty to each. Prosecuting attorney Bryan Clayton presented evidence of the three charges to the judge, as well as evidence of at least three prior felony convictions for assault family violence and two burglary of a habitation convictions.

Judge Woodward assessed punishment at 45 years per charge, each of which will run concurrently. Walker also has a number of prior state jail felony charges and a litany of entries on his jail record.