Tarrant County Pursuit Ends in Arrest of U-Haul Driver After Alleged Assault on North Texas Officers

Justin Vance Carter arrested in Tarrant County after an hour-long U-Haul chase and allegedly dragging a Hurst officer. See the full list of felony charges.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 23, 2026, 4:30 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from FOX 4 News

Erratic Behavior Triggers Emergency Police Response

The Hurst Police Department initiated a tactical response around 11:30 a.m. Sunday following multiple reports of a U-Haul truck being operated dangerously in the 700 block of Highway 26. According to witness accounts provided to investigators, the driver had exited the large vehicle and was behaving aggressively, yelling at bystanders in the immediate vicinity. Upon arrival, responding officers identified the individual as Justin Vance Carter and discovered that he was already wanted on several preexisting active warrants, complicating the initial attempt at a standard investigative detention.

Violent Resistance and Officer Dragging Incident

The situation escalated rapidly when officers attempted to take Carter into custody. According to official reports, the suspect ignored commands and accelerated the U-Haul truck, catching a Hurst officer in the process and briefly dragging them along the pavement. A second officer on the scene was forced to intervene physically, pulling their colleague away from the moving vehicle to prevent catastrophic injury. The suspect then allegedly maneuvered the truck in a circular path, intentionally driving directly at another officer who was forced to take cover behind a physical barrier to avoid a direct collision.

Multi-Jurisdictional Low Speed Pursuit

Following the initial assaults, Carter fled the scene in the rental truck, prompting a pursuit that spanned approximately one hour. The chase moved through several neighboring municipalities, requiring a coordinated effort from multiple North Texas agencies. Officers from North Richland Hills, Haltom City, and Watauga provided critical assistance as the U-Haul navigated through local streets at relatively low speeds. The strategic coordination between these departments allowed law enforcement to maintain a visual on the suspect while managing public safety risks across city lines.