Roderic Demond James, 25, was convicted by a jury of Felony Evading Arrest or Detention on July 7, 2026, in the 163rd District Court of Orange County. The court sentenced James to 25 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
On January 11, 2026, at approximately 11:15 p.m., DPS Trooper Rios was patrolling eastbound on Interstate 10 when he observed a vehicle speeding and swerving through traffic. After stopping the vehicle, James, who is from Houston, refused to identify himself, claiming he was a sovereign citizen and was not required to have a driver’s license or provide identification. He then told Trooper Rios to “have a nice day” before speeding away.
Trooper Rios initiated a pursuit, which was joined by officers from the Orange Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. After approximately 8 miles, DPS Trooper Clark joined the pursuit. Using his patrol vehicle, Clark safely clipped the rear quarter of the suspect’s vehicle, causing the driver to lose control and crash into a concrete wall. The pursuit ended without injuries to the driver, the public, or law enforcement officers.
Once at the Orange County Jail, a corrections officer identified the driver as Roderic James through an IDEMIA fingerprint search. Authorities said James had multiple prior felony convictions.
Social Media