Man sentenced for crash during chase in northeast Houston

HOUSTON. The man who led police in the chase that ended in a fatal crash in north Houston involving Uber has been sentenced to 50 years in prison, the Harris County District Attorney’s office said.

Brian Tatum, 47, was convicted on Tuesday of two counts of murder. In 2020, he staged an accident that killed 25-year-old Priscilla DeLeon and her cousin, 24-year-old Diana Salazar.

On September 19, 2020, police attempted to stop Tatum during a traffic stop. Tatum took off and traveled about two miles at a speed that, according to the district attorney’s office, reached 100 miles per hour when he crashed into an Uber carrying DeLeon and Salazar.

As a result of the accident, Uber was torn in two.

Tatum’s trial lasted about a week, with the jury deliberating for less than an hour to reach their verdict. He was threatened with 25 years to life in prison, but instead of putting the sentence in the hands of a jury or judge, Tatum agreed to a 50-year sentence, which he cannot appeal.

According to the district attorney’s office, he must serve at least 25 years before he becomes eligible for parole.

Houston-born Tatum moved to California, where he was convicted of several felonies, including arrest evasion, according to Harris County Assistant District Attorney Kelly Marshall.

Sean Teer, head of the DA’s office’s motor vehicle crime unit, said the Tatum case is an example of what not to do when the police are trying to stop you.

“If you run away and do something like that, you may never get out of prison,” Tyr said.

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