HOUSTON -- A police chase circled several Houston-area freeways into three counties for more than 90 minutes Wednesday afternoon until it ended in a head-on collision on an entrance ramp, officials told KPRC Local 2.

The chase started at about 1:50 p.m. on Beltway 8 at Gessner in northwest Harris County.

The driver of a gray BMW led Harris County sheriff's deputies to the West Road area before turning around and traveling eastbound on the Beltway.

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Police Chase Ends In Crash

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The car reached speeds exceeding 90 mph, according to officials, and veered onto Interstate 45 north and headed into Montgomery County before turning around.

Spikes were thrown on the road in an effort to slow down the car, but the driver continued with smoke pouring from the tires.

At times, the driver slowed down and traveled at posted speed limits on the freeways.

The car then turned from Interstate 45 southbound onto Beltway 8 westbound. Several law enforcement agencies were involved in the chase, including HPD and Department of Public Safety helicopters.

About 50 minutes into the chase, the driver turned onto the northbound lanes of Highway 290, veering into the shoulder lane to pass vehicles.

At FM 1960, the driver made a U-turn and weaved through traffic to get back onto the southbound lanes of Highway 290 until he reached Beltway 8, where he turned onto the southbound lanes.

At 2:50 p.m., the driver turned into the westbound lanes of the Katy Freeway. He exited a short time later to travel eastbound on the Katy Freeway until he went southbound on Beltway 8.

The driver stayed on main freeways during the entire chase, and turned onto the southbound lanes of the Southwest Freeway shortly after 3 p.m. He entered the Sugar Land area before turning around and heading downtown.

At 3:25 p.m., the driver hit traffic near Kirby, then turned around and drove the wrong way on the entrance ramp. He slammed into a car traveling on the ramp.

The chase suspect was pinned in the vehicle and surrendered by exiting through the sunroof.

Diana McShan was in the other vehicle with her mother and baby. Her mother was taken to a local hospital, where her condition is unknown.

"She's doing fine, I think. I haven't seen her since they took her," McShan said. "I was scared. I was scared because I heard her crying."

McShan and the baby were not injured.

Some Houston police officers were frustrated that policy prevented them from doing more to stop the chase.

"It makes me embarrassed to be a police officer when we are afraid to do our jobs and our jobs are to protect the public and this is not protecting the public -- when infants are injured because we don't put a stop to suspects that are running from us, committing felonies," officer Thomas Nixon said. "We have a policy that does not allow us to put an end to these chases when suspects are running from us."

Officials said the driver is an assault suspect out of Harris County. His name was not released.

Programming Note: The 40 minutes of Passions that was pre-empted by live coverage of the police chase will be rebroadcast at 3:35 a.m. Thursday.

Road Conditions:

• Houston TranStar Real-Time Traffic Map


• Traffic Pulse Real-Time Traffic Map


• Traffic Section


• Houston Transtar


• Texas Dept. of Transportation Web site or call (800) 452-9292


• Harris County Office of Emergency Management Web site