Police Chase Lasts 50 Minutes In Northwest Houston
Passenger Bails Out, Is Arrested
POSTED: Tuesday, February 8, 2005
UPDATED: 4:56 pm CST February 8,
2005
HOUSTON -- A pickup truck led police on a high-speed chase through northwest Houston for nearly an hour, narrowly dodging traffic and running several red lights after ramming into a patrol car, officials told Local 2.
The chase started shortly after 1 p.m. near downtown Houston in the 300 block of Hogan near North Main when the officers tried to pull the driver over for speeding."The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, flagged him down to pull over. At that time, the driver began to speed up and almost ran down my partner. My partner had to get out of the way. At that point, I started the chase. I tried to pull him over. He refused to stop and during that time, he struck around three vehicles," HPD Officer Ricardo Rojas-Garcia said.
A short time later, the driver of the Toyota Tacoma rammed a police car, and the passenger jumped out. He was immediately taken into custody.The vehicle, with only the driver inside, continued to weave in and out of traffic on Memorial Drive, North Post Oak, Hempstead Highway, T.C. Jester and other streets.At times, traffic slowed down the chase suspect, but he did not stop. Several police cars were in pursuit.The fleeing truck almost struck motorist Nelson Cormack car three times."He actually came at us at one point and swung around. It was pretty close," Cormack said.Patrol cars almost had the suspect blocked in on a narrow residential street in Independence Heights about 30 minutes after the chase began, but he maneuvered around them. A tow truck driver stepped in front of the car in pursuit and was almost run over. He was able to jump out of the way.
When police tried to box in the truck on a side street, the suspect drove onto a yard to get around officers.At least three times, patrol cars hit the back of the fleeing truck in an effort to spin it out of control, but the maneuver did not work.The chase ended more than 50 minutes after it began, when a delivery truck inadvertently blocked a street, allowing for three police cars to corner the vehicle on Arlington near Tidwell. When the truck had no room to move, officers pulled the driver out."It was just luck of the draw so he had no way to go but to the right. He had to cut back left and that's when the police officers rammed him and stopped him," said Brack Irvin, the delivery truck driver.Authorities said a crack pipe was found inside the truck, which was also littered with beer cans.No one was injured. Charges are pending.Programming Note: Due to the pre-emption of "Days Of Our Lives" to air the police chase, the soap opera will air at 3:11 a.m. Wednesday, if you would like to set your VCR. Local 2 apologizes for any inconvenience.
Copyright 2006 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SLIDESHOW: See Images From High-Speed Chase 
VIDEO: Team Coverage: Police Chase From Air, Ground, Witnesses The chase started shortly after 1 p.m. near downtown Houston in the 300 block of Hogan near North Main when the officers tried to pull the driver over for speeding."The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, flagged him down to pull over. At that time, the driver began to speed up and almost ran down my partner. My partner had to get out of the way. At that point, I started the chase. I tried to pull him over. He refused to stop and during that time, he struck around three vehicles," HPD Officer Ricardo Rojas-Garcia said.
A short time later, the driver of the Toyota Tacoma rammed a police car, and the passenger jumped out. He was immediately taken into custody.The vehicle, with only the driver inside, continued to weave in and out of traffic on Memorial Drive, North Post Oak, Hempstead Highway, T.C. Jester and other streets.At times, traffic slowed down the chase suspect, but he did not stop. Several police cars were in pursuit.The fleeing truck almost struck motorist Nelson Cormack car three times."He actually came at us at one point and swung around. It was pretty close," Cormack said.Patrol cars almost had the suspect blocked in on a narrow residential street in Independence Heights about 30 minutes after the chase began, but he maneuvered around them. A tow truck driver stepped in front of the car in pursuit and was almost run over. He was able to jump out of the way.When police tried to box in the truck on a side street, the suspect drove onto a yard to get around officers.At least three times, patrol cars hit the back of the fleeing truck in an effort to spin it out of control, but the maneuver did not work.The chase ended more than 50 minutes after it began, when a delivery truck inadvertently blocked a street, allowing for three police cars to corner the vehicle on Arlington near Tidwell. When the truck had no room to move, officers pulled the driver out."It was just luck of the draw so he had no way to go but to the right. He had to cut back left and that's when the police officers rammed him and stopped him," said Brack Irvin, the delivery truck driver.Authorities said a crack pipe was found inside the truck, which was also littered with beer cans.No one was injured. Charges are pending.Programming Note: Due to the pre-emption of "Days Of Our Lives" to air the police chase, the soap opera will air at 3:11 a.m. Wednesday, if you would like to set your VCR. Local 2 apologizes for any inconvenience. Copyright 2006 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
In a victory for President Barack Obama, the Democratic-controlled House narrowly passed landmark health care legislation Saturday night to expand coverage to tens of millions who lack it and place tough new restrictions on the insurance industry. Republican opposition was nearly unanimous.
Makaylin Angel, 6, is laid to rest after being killed on Monday by a suspected drunk driver.
An Army psychiatrist who authorities say went on a shooting rampage at Fort Hood was so conflicted over what to tell fellow soldiers about fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan that a local Islamic leader was deeply troubled by it, the leader said Saturday.
Jurors reach a verdict in the capital murder trial of a man accused of killing his 2-year-old stepdaughter, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Harris County homicide investigators said they have made two arrests after an 18-year-old woman was found dead Friday morning.
Nov. 5, 2009: A prominent home builder and his wife are charged with drug possession and intent to distribute. Carl Willis reports.
Nov. 6, 2009: The Army reveals that the soldier who opened fire on base fired more than 100 rounds, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Jurors reach a verdict in the capital murder trial of a man accused of killing his 2-year-old stepdaughter. Phil Archer reports.
Oct. 27, 2009: Juanita Black has plenty to sing about. She turned 105 years old. Rachel McNeill reports.
Khambrel Marshall
Check out viewers' pictures of Hurricane Ike.
The Wings Over Houston Airshow was held at Ellington Field on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, 2009. More than 80,000 people attended. Check out some of the viewers who visited the KPRC booth.
The body of a girl who washed ashore in Galveston Bay is identified as Riley Ann Sawyers weeks after investigators name her Baby Grace.
The Wings Over Houston Airshow was held at Ellington Field last weekend. More than 80,000 people attended. Check out the viewers who visited the KPRC Local 2 booth.
A soldier opened fire at a U.S. Army base in Fort Hood, Texas, on Thursday, unleashing a stream of gunfire that left 13 people dead and 31 wounded.
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
