Parker County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man following a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle carrying a welder on the roof of the vehicle.
Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said patrol deputies spotted the vehicle toting the welder on top of a white Nissan SUV which was not secured or strapped down. Deputies also noted the vehicle did not have a license plate and conducted a traffic stop in the 100-Block of Ellis Drive.
During the stop, a second vehicle arrived at the same location and the driver approached the deputy claiming the welder belonged to his boss, which had just been stolen from a construction business in the 1600-Block of Greenwood Cut-Off Road.
The driver of the suspect vehicle fled the scene in his vehicle in an attempt to evade deputies. The welder fell off of the suspect’s vehicle into a barrow ditch. The suspect then crashed through a fence and fled on foot. Deputies located the suspect hiding behind a vehicle in the 100-Block of Riverdell Lane. The suspect continued to flee from deputies who apprehended him a short distance later. The suspect was identified as Christopher Charles Blair, 44, of Azle.
Deputies recovered the stolen welder along with four catalytic convertors, a vehicle diagnostic scanner, a license plate from another vehicle, a vehicle radiator, a cutting torch, a cordless power tool set and a band saw from the suspect’s vehicle. Deputies later discovered the vehicle diagnostic reader was reported stolen out of Erath County.
Blair was arrested on charges of evading arrest detention, evading arrest with vehicle, theft of property, criminal mischief and a parole violation. His total bond was set at $32,000. A “no bond” was placed on Blair for the parole violation for previous convictions of evading out of Bosque and Hill Counties and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and engaging in criminal activity. He remains incarcerated.
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