A high speed chase Wednesday, ended with a crash in the Medical Center. An off-duty officer who was with his two children, was one of several cars hit.
The chase started around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. The suspect, who's name has not yet been released, side-swiped several cars along the way. Luckily, there were no major injuries.
Clutching a teddy bear, a little boy safely walked away from the mangled Lexus he was riding in. At the same time, the man who smashed into him was being put on an stretcher and loaded, in handcuffs, into an ambulance. "When the marked unit turned on his lights, he took off and we gave pursuit," said HPD Sgt. David Balderaz.
Sgt. Balderaz said officers tried to arrest the driver of the Dodge Caliber, on Antoine and Desoto, after undercover officers saw a possible drug deal.
Officers chased the car, which had three people inside, for a good 15 miles. "I seen the door open and him jump and take off running," said Keith Moody.
Witnesses say one of the passengers bailed at a stop light on Little York and North Shepherd. "About three or four of the cops stopped, but the other one's kept chasing the car," Moody said.
The car took police on a wild ride down, finally coming to a stop on Main at the Medical Plaza, when it hit the Lexus and a police car. "I was just shocked that it was one of our guys," said Harvey Willis.
Willis said the driver of the Lexus is a friend. The off-duty Rice Police Officer was with his two kids, apparently taking his daughter to a dance class when he was hit. "He said that the guy rammed him and he tried to get out and get at him, but the other officers got him," Willis said.
The other passenger, a female, was in the back of a police cruiser at the scene. Officers said the driver was taken to the hospital, complaining of back and neck pain. "I'm glad they caught him," Willis said.
HPD said on top of all this, the driver had a felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
The chase started around 2:30 Wednesday afternoon. The suspect, who's name has not yet been released, side-swiped several cars along the way. Luckily, there were no major injuries.
Clutching a teddy bear, a little boy safely walked away from the mangled Lexus he was riding in. At the same time, the man who smashed into him was being put on an stretcher and loaded, in handcuffs, into an ambulance. "When the marked unit turned on his lights, he took off and we gave pursuit," said HPD Sgt. David Balderaz.
Sgt. Balderaz said officers tried to arrest the driver of the Dodge Caliber, on Antoine and Desoto, after undercover officers saw a possible drug deal.
Officers chased the car, which had three people inside, for a good 15 miles. "I seen the door open and him jump and take off running," said Keith Moody.
Witnesses say one of the passengers bailed at a stop light on Little York and North Shepherd. "About three or four of the cops stopped, but the other one's kept chasing the car," Moody said.
The car took police on a wild ride down, finally coming to a stop on Main at the Medical Plaza, when it hit the Lexus and a police car. "I was just shocked that it was one of our guys," said Harvey Willis.
Willis said the driver of the Lexus is a friend. The off-duty Rice Police Officer was with his two kids, apparently taking his daughter to a dance class when he was hit. "He said that the guy rammed him and he tried to get out and get at him, but the other officers got him," Willis said.
The other passenger, a female, was in the back of a police cruiser at the scene. Officers said the driver was taken to the hospital, complaining of back and neck pain. "I'm glad they caught him," Willis said.
HPD said on top of all this, the driver had a felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance.
