Police thwart Branscome suicide attempt

Deputies in Bowie County, Texas stopped Steven Branscome from committing suicide a few moments after he was arrested, according to the department’s chief deputy.

  Branscome was the subject of a statewide turned nationwide manhunt last week.

  Chief deputy Larry Parker said moments after his arrest in New Boston, Texas, Branscome wrapped a seatbelt around his throat in an effort to choke himself.

  Parker said deputies stopped him and then took him to a hospital to make sure he was okay.

  A search warrant on file at Floyd County Circuit Court states police intercepted text messages on a cell phone where Branscome claimed “police would have to shoot him” and he “would not go back to jail.“

  The search warrant was filed March 26th, two days before Branscome is accused of shooting a Virginia state trooper in the neck after a brief car and foot chase over the West Virginia stateline near Glen Lyn.

  Branscome eluded a 24 hour manhunt near Glen Lyn, and then slipped by similar police efforts to find him Patrick County and Floyd County.

  Investigators believe he wiggled through a massive police dragnet in the Indian Valley area of Floyd County by stealing a tree farm truck last Wednesday night.

  Two men from Pulaski County spotted the truck two days later at a convenience store in Statesville, North Carolina.

  Police believe, after stealing another car in Statesville, Branscome broke into a church in Grassy Creek, North Carolina and stole the keys to its van.

  Police in Ashe County confirmed the theft Monday.

  The U.S. Marshals Office then tracked Branscome from Ashe County to nearby Interstate 40.

  Investigators believe he drove I-40 the entire length of Tennessee into Arkansas.

  The gap between Branscome and authorities narrowed outside Little Rock and then police caught up to him at a motel in New Boston, Texas.

  After confirming Branscome was in the room, police tried to call him for two hours.

  After Branscome finally picked up the phone, he later gave up without incident.

  Police did not find any weapons on him but did recover a small amount of cash.

  As of late Monday evening, Branscome was in a suicide watch cell at a jail in Bowie County, Texas.

  State police in West Virginia are arranging a time to fly Branscome back to our area to face charges for shooting the Virginia state trooper, Richard Hughes.

  Investigators are also far from finished with the case.

  U.S. Marshal Wayne Pike said to expect federal charges against Branscome sometime next week.

  Police are also looking into the possibility he had help during his almost 1,150 mile trip eluding police in several states.

  Records obtained from the Virginia Department of Corrections show Branscome was incarerated for 10 of the past 12 years.