Alex Gonzalez v. State, 01-14-00434-CR

On Nov. 23, 2012, Alex Gonzalez was identified as a suspect in an assault at Christus St. Catherine Hospital and later drove to the ER exit.
Deputy Laird, in uniform, approached Gonzalez’s vehicle while two other marked patrol units pulled in behind with emergency lights on.
Gonzalez accelerated away from the officers and led a pursuit through the hospital parking lot and public roads.
Deputy B. Luce pursued for over two minutes; video and testimony showed Gonzalez ran red lights and stop signs and was reflected with emergency lights visible on his plate.
Three patrol cars participated and ultimately boxed Gonzalez in; officers found a one- or two-year-old child in the vehicle.
Gonzalez was tried by jury, convicted of evading detention in a motor vehicle (Tex. Penal Code § 38.04), and sentenced to 25 years; he appealed asserting insufficient evidence to prove evasion.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument (State)	Defendant's Argument (Gonzalez)	Held
Sufficiency of the evidence to support conviction for evading in a motor vehicle	Evidence (uniformed officer approach, marked units with lights, defendant accelerated and fled, ran lights/stop signs, pursuit video) permits a rational jury to find intentional/knowing flight beyond a reasonable doubt	Evidence was insufficient; the deputies allegedly did not need to box in his car to make him stop, implying lack of proof of attempted detention or flight	Court/State: The evidence was legally sufficient. Viewing evidence in prosecution's favor, a rational jury could find Gonzalez intentionally/knowingly fled from police in a vehicle; appellant's point is overruled

Brooks v. State, 323 S.W.3d 893 (Tex. Crim. App. 2010) (Jackson standard and sufficiency review discussion)
Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307 (U.S. 1979) (standard for sufficiency of the evidence: whether any rational trier could find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt)
Chambers v. State, 805 S.W.2d 459 (Tex. Crim. App. 1991) (jury as sole judge of witness credibility and weight)
King v. State, 29 S.W.3d 556 (Tex. Crim. App. 2000) (circumstantial evidence may be sufficient; same standard as direct evidence)
Johnson v. State, 871 S.W.2d 183 (Tex. Crim. App. 1993) (combined and cumulative force of incriminating circumstances may support conviction)
Rogers v. State, 832 S.W.2d 442 (Tex. App.—Austin 1992) (evidence sufficient where officer signaled to stop and driver accelerated and fled)