El Paso man labeled ‘psychotic’ and ‘nonsensical’ by troopers finally surrenders after chase, standoff

EL PASO, Texas -- An El Paso man who authorities said “exhibited threatening and psychotic behavior yelling nonsensical statements… (and) making obscene hand gestures and verbal threats” was taken into custody following a police chase and standoff on Monday afternoon.

Michael Donald Bingham, 28, was facing charges of reckless driving, evading arrest and assaulting a public servant, according to the Texas Dept. of Public Safety. He was booked into the El Paso County jail downtown.

The bizarre events began unfolding about 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Montana and Copia, when Bingham allegedly pulled up in his car along an unmarked vehicle containing two state agents and threatened them.

At first, authorities said the DPS agents thought it was a simple case of an aggressive driver “exhibiting road rage,” but then they claim Bingham tried to assault the pair with his car.

“The subject then drove in front of the Special Agents slamming on breaks, skidding the vehicle in an attempt to cause the Special Agents to collide with his vehicle,” said DPS Sgt. Marc Couch.

After turning on their lights and siren to try and pull Bingham’s car over, authorities said he fled – leading DPS and El Paso police on a chase that ended in the 9200 block of Rex, where Bingham ran into a home and initially refused to surrender.

Once police surrounded the home, they said Bingham finally stopped yelling and ended the standoff by walking out the front door of the house and surrendering after a brief struggle to handcuff him.