Driver leads chase during DWI crackdown

HOUSTON – A Houston-area man and woman were taken in custody following a high-speed chase through Harris and Montgomery counties.

Authorities with the Montgomery County Precinct Four Constable's Office said deputy constables pulled over the male driver on suspicion of a traffic violation overnight Monday.

The deputy constable said he smelled marijuana in the vehicle and began questioning the driver, who suddenly sped away.

What happened next was caught on a camera mounted in one of the deputy constable's vehicles.

The the pursuit reached a speed of 100 miles per hour and lasted more than 10 miles.

"The subject hit a curb and blew out a tire. A short time later, he stopped the vehicle, got out and ran away on foot," said Constable Rowdy Hayden.

Officers chased the man and took him and an unidentified female passenger into custody.

The arrests were part of a massive crackdown on driving while intoxicated and other dangerous driving over the long New Year's Eve weekend. At least 15 people were charged with DUI.

"New Year's Eve is one of the most dangerous nights, and a lot of people are finally getting the message," said Warren Diepraam, a prosecutor with the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.