HOUSTON – A police pursuit of a vehicle ended in a fiery crash Thursday morning on the north side.
According to Houston police, they received a call at around 10:45 a.m. about a man waiving a gun at cab driver on the North Freeway near Tidwell. A witness called 911 and a police helicopter was able to track down the suspect. Police say an officer who was getting onto the freeway tried to initiate a pursuit.
"Turning on the lights and sirens, but was unable to catch up to the suspect before the suspect saw her, exited the North Freeway," said Kese Smith, with the Houston Police Department.
Police say the suspect then ran the red light at Gulf Bank and smashed into a dark gray pickup truck, with a man and two young girls inside.
Christopher Brown saw the whole thing and says the suspect almost ran him off the road as well.
"He showed no remorse, he didn't even stop. You didn't even see his tail lights light up. He just blew through the red light and nailed the truck and all I saw was dust and smoke," said Brown.
The dark gray pickup overturned, and a bumper in the bed of the truck flew out and hit an Impala and a Chrysler 300 at the intersection waiting for the light. A piece of the metal even went through the windshield of one of those cars, barely missing the driver. She suffered cuts and bruises and was transported to the hospital.
The suspect's own truck caught fire. He staggered out and police took him into custody. You could hear ammunition in the pickup going off as it burned.
Officers say the truck is registered to 33-year-old William Gilbert Shawn Sandefur.
There is no word on the condition of the family hit.