Chase suspect charged after violent crash kills 1, critically injures another

HOUSTON – The Houston Police Officer’s Union is backing it's decision to involve a suspect in a high speed chase that killed an innocent man.

The chase started just before 11 a.m. Thursday after police officers tried to pull over Joshua Denagelo Myles, 27, for driving a stolen vehicle. He evaded police for about 10 minutes, at one point driving down a street in the wrong direction, police said.

At the intersection of Yellowstone Boulevard and Scott Street police say the suspect ran a red light then crashed into two vehicles., a white Nissan Versa and a black Kia Soul.

“I felt like I was in a movie,” said Jacqueline Belcher, who was driving in the area with her three grandchildren at the time of the crash.

She said Myles missed her car by a matter of seconds.

After the crash, Myles jumped out of the stolen SUV at Scott and Yellowstone and ran into a nearby neighborhood, police said. It didn’t take long for officers to locate and arrest him.

Lakesha Sims was at a gas station at the intersection at the time of the crash. She recorded video on her cellphone of paramedics working to get a man and a woman out of the Nissan.

“He had to be going about 100 mph because he hit them hard,” Sims said.

Ray Hunt of the Houston Police Officer’s Association says there are hundreds of chases across the city every year and very few result in serious injuries. “I feel for the victims’ families and those who are injured,” Hunt said.

But he says the chases are often necessary to prevent future danger. “If a suspect flees a location and we choose not to chase them, then they end up committing a robbery 3 miles away and kill people, then those same citizens questioning us now about the chases are going to question why we didn’t stop that man the first time,” Hunt said.

A 61-year-old man driving the Nissan died Thursday night from his injuries. His identity has not been released.

The 47-year-old woman, Emily Vasquez, was in fair condition Friday at Ben Taub General Hospital.

"She was breathing on her own when they pulled her out. The guy, he was breathing, (but) all his arms and stuff was cut up," Sims said.

"They didn't look so good. Neither one of them were moving," Tameika Moore said.

The female driver of the Kia suffered minor injuries, and was spotted walking around at the scene after the crash.

Hours after the crash, many witnesses were still disturbed by what they saw.

“My hands are still shaking,” Sims said. “It was very traumatic.”

Myles is facing charges of evading arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury. Police said the charges could be upgraded.

Myles appeared Thursday night in court and his bond was set at $100,000. He is expected back in court Monday.