Police say three masked men with rifles confronted the 22-year-old safety on Jan. 4 before fleeing in his SUV.
HOUSTON, TX — Houston Texans rookie safety Jaylen Reed was held at gunpoint outside his home on Jan. 4 when three masked men stole his SUV and sped away, prompting a police chase that ended in a crash miles away. One suspect was arrested at the scene while two others escaped, authorities said.
Reed, a sixth-round draft pick who joined the Texans this season, was not reported injured. Police and court filings describe a brief but tense encounter that spilled into city streets after officers spotted the stolen vehicle. The case remains active as detectives search for two suspects and prosecutors prepare for the first court appearance of the man in custody. The Texans acknowledged the matter but declined substantive comment, calling it a personal situation for the rookie. The incident arrived as Houston’s playoff push has kept players in the spotlight, adding attention to a robbery that prosecutors say began in a residential garage and ended with fire damage after a crash.
Reed arrived at his west Houston home the evening of Jan. 4, according to court documents reviewed by reporters. As he entered his garage, three men dressed in black and wearing ski masks approached with long rifles, demanding his property and ordering him to comply. The men took his keys and left in his SUV. Houston police later spotted the vehicle and gave chase through the Greenspoint area, including stretches of Interstate 45, the Hardy Toll Road and Airline Drive, before the SUV crashed. Two patrol units were damaged, and a small fire broke out near the wreck before being contained, investigators said. “He did the right thing by surviving the encounter,” a law-enforcement spokesman said, noting Reed cooperated with officers afterward.
Officers arrested 20-year-old Montreal Dwayne Frye at the crash site and booked him into the Harris County Jail. He faces charges that include evading arrest and unlawful use of a motor vehicle. A judge set Frye’s combined bond at $1 million. Authorities said two other men ran from the scene and remain at large. Police have not released detailed suspect descriptions beyond the black clothing and ski masks cited in affidavits. The SUV was recovered with crash damage. No shots were reported fired during the initial robbery, and officials have not said whether any firearms were recovered from the wreck. Prosecutors said the investigation could lead to additional counts once detectives complete interviews and forensic reviews of the vehicle and nearby surveillance video.
Reed, 22, is a Detroit native who played at Penn State before the Texans selected him 187th overall. He has appeared on defense and special teams and was active for Houston’s 30–6 win over Pittsburgh on Jan. 11. Team representatives declined to discuss specifics of the case, citing privacy and the open investigation. Neighbors who spoke with local media described a quiet block where garage entries face short driveways, a layout officers said can give robbers a brief window to corner residents after dark. Harris County records show Frye is also under review for violating the terms of a prior evading-arrest case from 2025, which could affect his supervision status if prosecutors seek adjudication. Officials emphasized that the two outstanding suspects should be considered armed until proven otherwise.
Recent incidents have kept carjacking on the radar for Houston-area agencies, which coordinate on pursuits that cross city limits and major corridors. Police have stressed that many cases hinge on quick license-plate reads, doorbell video and highway cameras that can place a vehicle within minutes. In this case, officers said they picked up the SUV not long after the robbery and stayed on it until the crash. The department will review pursuit reports because two cruisers were damaged, a standard step after any high-speed chase that ends in a collision or fire. Insurance questions tied to the recovered SUV, including repair or replacement, were not addressed in court filings.
Frye’s first court setting is expected next month at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center. Prosecutors signaled they may seek to revoke his community supervision in the earlier evading case while the new charges proceed. If additional suspects are identified, police said they will refer aggravated robbery counts to the district attorney’s office. Detectives are canvassing the neighborhood for more surveillance footage and have asked nearby residents to provide any recordings from the time of the robbery. The Texans’ next team availability is scheduled in the coming days as the club prepares for the next postseason round, but staff have not said whether Reed will address the incident.
On the block where the robbery began, scorch marks from the later crash were not visible, but the quiet was. A delivery driver said he passed cruisers “flying north” the night of the chase. A resident who declined to be named said neighbors were relieved Reed wasn’t hurt, adding that patrols seemed more frequent the following evening. “It was fast. A lot of sirens, then nothing,” the neighbor said. At NRG Stadium, a teammate noted that players are checking in on Reed. “He’s focused on football and thankful to be safe,” the teammate said.
As of Thursday afternoon, one suspect remained in jail and two were still being sought. Investigators are reviewing video and crash evidence while preparing reports for prosecutors ahead of the next hearing date in February.
Author note: Last updated January 15, 2026.