Armed man forces Imelda refugee to steal a car, Texas police say

When a family fled their flooded home after Tropical Depression Imelda, the father was held at gunpoint in Winnie, Texas, according to the Chambers County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputies say they received the call just after midnight Friday, notifying them of an aggravated robbery in the 46300 area of Chambers County near I-10.

According to deputies, the father was standing outside of a hotel after he and his family were displaced by Imelda. The suspect, now identified as Jorden Tyler Meadows, walked up to him, pointed a gun in the man’s face and “attempted to steal his vehicle.”

But the man’s car wouldn’t start.

Meadows then held the man and threatened to kill him if he didn’t help Meadows steal another car, according to deputies.

”Fearing for his life,” the man ran towards other people also standing outside of the hotel, deputies said.

Police nearby were on patrol and chased Meadows behind a hotel. He was eventually caught, arrested and charged with two felonies – aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping.

Meadows was also charged with burglary of a vehicle.