Deputy opens fire on man who allegedly tried to run over her in Chili's parking lot

HOUSTON, Texas -- A Harris County sheriff's deputy opened fire on a man who she believed was trying to run over her in a Chili's parking lot on FM 1960 near I-45.

It all started with a traffic stop around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday when a pair of deputies pulled over a woman and put her in custody. Deputies say the passenger of that car then got behind the wheel and rammed into the patrol car with a deputy inside.

A second deputy was out of the car. She feared that the driver was trying to hit her with the car, so she fired a single shot, but the man sped off. Investigators do not believe the man was hit.

The car was eventually found about a mile and half away, but the man was not there.

Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the area around here is seeing more crime, so his deputies have been increasing their presence.

"We are out here in this greater north Harris County area, around the 1960 corridor. It has been a very high crime area so we have a lot of patrol units out here to reduce crime and keep the county safe," Gonzalez said.

The suspect is described as a white man in his 20's, wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt.

The woman who was taken into custody is cooperating with deputies.

Authorities are also searching for surveillance video that might help them find the suspect.