HOUSTON – The driver in a police chase that ended along the Southwest Freeway on Monday morning is dead, police said.
According to Houston police, the chase started about 3:20 a.m. in the 2700 block of Smith Street in downtown after officers noticed a vehicle going the wrong direction.
Police said the driver led officers on a high-speed chase that ended with crash into a power pole about 15 minutes later on the Southwest Freeway at Kirkwood Road.
A K-9 unit was called to the scene, police said. Officers fired bean-bag rounds at the vehicle, but no officers fired their duty weapons.
Police said the driver of the vehicle was found dead a short time later.
During the chase, the driver of the pursued vehicle leaned out of the car and shot at officers, police said.
All southbound lanes of the Southwest Freeway were closed for about an hour.
Centerpoint Energy is at the scene to repair the power pole, police said.
The identity of the driver was not immediately released.