Amarillo man sentenced for stealing truck, leading police on chase, breaking into home

POTTER COUNTY, Texas (KVII) — An Amarillo man was sentenced to 72 years in prison for stealing a truck, leading police on a chase and then breaking into an older woman's home.

Ryan McDonald was sentenced to two years in state jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for evading with a vehicle and 50 years in the TDCJ for burglary of a habitation. The sentences will run concurrently because they stem from a single incident.

The incident happened in July 2023 when an Amarillo resident came outside and found that his pickup truck was stolen.

A police report was made, but he saw his truck driving repeatedly through his neighborhood later in the afternoon.

The man called the Amarillo Police Department again and officers were sent to the area.

One of the officers saw a truck matching the description that sped off.

The officer turned on his lights and siren but called the chase off due to public safety concerns.

Eventually, officers found the truck abandoned in an alley.

Police determined a man had jumped a fence and forced his way into the home next door through the back door.

An older woman was home alone and woke up from a nap to find a strange man in her home.

The man, later identified as McDonald, took some clothes off a shelf and changed clothes while police surrounded the home.

Eventually, McDonald exited through the same back door and was arrested.

The woman pointed out to officers the clothing he had taken off and the clothing of hers that he put on instead.

A jury in the 320th District Court heard all three cases in a single trial and found McDonald guilty on all three.

During the punishment phase, evidence was heard that included six prior felony convictions against McDonald.