HOUSTON – The Houston Police Department’s chase policy is in question again after a 19-year-old motorcyclist was hit and killed by the driver of a stolen car during a police chase.
The crash happened Monday morning at the intersection of FM 1960 and I-45 in north Houston.
It’s not the first Houston police chase with a similar outcome and tragic results for innocent victims.
Carl Wiley Jr. was a loving father and son who was killed when a suspect fleeing from police hit him in west Houston. Wiley’s father, Carl Wiley Sr., spoke to KPRC 2 Reporter Bill Barajas, saying that day forever changed his life.
The images of Monday’s fatal police chase are something Wiley Sr. doesn’t wish on any family.
“I’m sorry for your loss and all I can tell you is put it in God’s hands and just let it go from there,” he said.
He said he lost his son almost two years ago. Wiley Jr. was just 35 years old.
“A humble man, a kind man, a gentle man, he loved his daughter and he loved his family,” Wiley Sr. said.
He said the suspect in his son’s case, 20-year-old Cameron Rogers, was arrested. At the time, police said they were in pursuit of Rogers’ vehicle after he was spotted at a gas station with two others, police saying one of them was showing signs of suspicious behavior.
Wiley Sr. said he hoped police re-evaluate their chase policy.
“It’s not working,” he said. “Innocent lives are being lost, people are being sad because of somebody’s carelessness. Right now, they need to re-evaluate the whole process. Start from scratch.”
Wiley Sr. continued, “if they was chasing him, they should of come to a point where they discontinued the chase because he’s going at a high rate of speed and he’s in a neighborhood and something is bound to happen.”
He added that he’s not going against officers going after a suspect, he just hopes the public’s safety is the number one priority.