Dangerous police chase on Gulf Fwy

[Calvin]

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A driver who was running from police ended up literally pushing them out of the way a total of three times. And now, we're learning more about the driver, and two law officers who were hurt trying to apprehend him.

The driver rear-ended a Houston police patrol car on the Gulf Freeway, sending the cruiser into a retaining wall. Just up the road, the driver tried to do the same thing. He rear-ended a Harris County Precinct 8 deputy constable, but that is how the chase came to an end. Both law enforcement officers were taken to the hospital.

The chase covered roughly 15 miles from next to NASA into southeast Houston. From beginning to end, this was not your usual chase. The suspect, identified as Danny Joe Flores, 25, left three damaged police cars, one injured deputy constable and thousands of frustrated drivers in his wake. It ended dramatically with a crash northbound on I-45 at the Howard/Bellfort exit and also began with one.

"He said the guy hit him and it all started," said witness Tony Penzi.

It was around 4pm Monday when Houston police an dPrecinct 8 deputy constables responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment complex on Gemini near Feathercraft in Clear Lake. As the officers were checking the victim, police say the Flores took off, hitting his first patrol car of the day.

"He hit the side of the car and it pushed the police car up onto the curb," said Penzi.

The chase eventually got to the freeway. Soon came police car collision number 2. Police say Flores rear-ended an HPD cruiser, flipping it over.

Sgt. Greg Coujntie with the Houston Police Department was in the thick of the chase.

"At one point when I pulled up next to him, he was looking at me like he was going to try to run me off the road, so I backed off a little bit," he said. "That was right after he had already run the other HPD officer off the road."

As the pursuit continued northward, Flores bumped police car number three - a Precinct 8 vehicle. Flores' car lost control and hit the wall, but the fight wasn't over. Police say he came out swinging with a box cutter and sliced a deputy constable's arm.

Up close, his car was a mess. Police didn't find any guns, but they did find ammunition in the back seat. His daring run was over.

"He didn't want to go to jail," said Sgt. Coujntie. "He's going to jail for a long time, I hope."

Flores has now been charged with two counts of attempted capital murder of a police officer. He injured his head in the last crash and was taken to the hospital. We're told he'll been taken to the Harris County Jail.

The deputy constable who was cut, Wayne Garish, got a few stitches and has been released.

HPD officer walks away from flipped car

Four-year HPD veteran Steven McGee with the Clear Lake substation was driving in front of the suspect. He happened to be on I-45 when his supervisor radioed that a chase was behind him.

When he saw the already damaged silver Honda approach, HPD tells us he used a defensive maneuver called a rolling roadblock and it played out before hundreds of eyewitnesses.

"Just clipped the police car and the cruiser hit the wall and flipped up on its side and slid down," said witness Daniel Snyder.

"He skidded under 200 feet," reported Lt. Javier Calvillo with the Houston Police Department.

Despite McGee smashing head-on into a concrete barrier and sliding on the driver's door, he climbed out of his overturned cruiser quickly.

"By the time I stopped and got out of the car, I expected to see him still in the car," said Snyder. "He was already up and out and on the side of the road."

While McGee's patrol car was up-righted and towed away, he was transported to the hospital for minor injuries. He was treated for abrasions to his shoulder and legs and discharged around 8pm.

As for the rolling roadblock, we checked HPD's chase policy and what Officer McGee did was right in line with that policy.

Go check out those videos here


for the driver to ram 3 police cars

 

[Brian]

This is crazy - this is common in SoCal (in and around LA County) not elsewhere...

 

[Calvin]

This is crazy - this is common in SoCal (in and around LA County) not elsewhere...

Yeah, we do get to see police chase on TV once a while, some of the case are from CHP (California). This one is from Texas, and that is a violent chase ramming police cars in his way.

 

[moonflower]

OMG that is insane chase

 

[Jiro]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz not really a violent chase IMO but that was a violent arrest. hit'em more dammit!

 

[society's_child]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz not really a violent chase IMO but that was a violent arrest. hit'em more dammit!

Police brutality, you think?

 

[Jiro]

Police brutality, you think?

nah. he deserves it.

 

[society's_child]

nah. he deserves it.

Hmmmm...which to choose: getting clubbed by half of the Houston police department or running the gauntlet through thousands of angry, inconvinienced communters??

Decisions, decisions.

 

[Jiro]

Hmmmm...which to choose: getting clubbed by half of the Houston police department or running the gauntlet through thousands of angry, inconvinienced communters??

Decisions, decisions.

add this to your list of choice - surrender in a calm, peaceful manner and you'll probably be in jail just for overnite for domestic violence.

 

[sequoias]

Geez, that's crazy!

 

[David]

Police are supposed to empty their guns on a suspect that deliberately tries to ram them with his/her car.... at least in Texas.

 

[Jiro]

Police are supposed to empty their guns on a suspect that deliberately tries to ram them with his/her car.... at least in Texas.

they're not"SUPPOSED" to but they are ALLOWED to. It's not just in Texas. All cops in all states can (unless the town/municipal/state has stricter regulation regarding it) but then.... how do they shoot while driving? They're not allowed to.

Plus - it's the department policy to shoot up to 2x at once and STOP to re-check the target and then they may shoot more if needed.

 

[Calvin]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz not really a violent chase IMO but that was a violent arrest. hit'em more dammit!

He rammed the police cars, and that is attempted murder on a peace officer when he sent the car to the concrete median.. and that is violent chase, lucky the officer got minor injuries, he could have been killed on that spot. *note the airbag deploy in the video*

 

[Jolie77]

Wow - That's just insane but then again, it doesn't surprise me to hear about how some people are so desperate to try to find a way to not to go to jail.

 

[Jiro]

Wow - That's just insane but then again, it doesn't surprise me to hear about how some people are so desperate to try to find a way to not to go to jail.

and what's an EPIC FAIL for them is that most of arrests like this are punishable by a simple overnite stay at jail and some fines or court appearance. but no..... by committing these foolish actions - they earned themselves an extended period of stay at a lovely 8x10 concrete room with a complete amnesties of exposed toilet, sink, gym, and plasma tv at common room. Oh forgot to add one more thing - free daily sex!! (usually you're the bitch)

EPIC FAIL!

 

[David]

they're not"SUPPOSED" to but they are ALLOWED to. It's not just in Texas. All cops in all states can (unless the town/municipal/state has stricter regulation regarding it) but then.... how do they shoot while driving? They're not allowed to.

Plus - it's the department policy to shoot up to 2x at once and STOP to re-check the target and then they may shoot more if needed.

Oh. Sorry.

 

[Jolie77]

and what's an EPIC FAIL for them is that most of arrests like this are punishable by a simple overnite stay at jail and some fines or court appearance. but no..... by committing these foolish actions - they earned themselves an extended period of stay at a lovely 8x10 concrete room with a complete amnesties of exposed toilet, sink, gym, and plasma tv at common room. Oh forgot to add one more thing - free daily sex!! (usually you're the bitch)

EPIC FAIL!

I agree - That is why if you are in a situation with the police; You are supposed to be calm and rational even if you disagree with the police. If you don't and you're acting belligerent - then you know you're going to get cuffed up and get tossed in the slammer.

 

[dead money]

now THATS entertainment!

 

[Jiro]

Oh. Sorry.

nonsense. no apology is needed

It's just a tiny distinction that seems confusing. Legally - police can shoot only if they feel their lives are endangered but - they'll have to deal with tons of paperwork and interrogations by PD and (I think) Internal Affairs. The officers have to do this pain-in-the-ass process for every time you take your gun out of your holster and/or shoot it.

It has happened that cops get fired and/or city get sued even if the shooting was justified but it was because of the way they worded it (not always camera is there to record it). That's why it's highly recommended NOT to say anything (yes even cops get interrogated by other cops and they have to surrender their guns for investigation & documentation purpose) until you retain the lawyer (specialized in shooting).

That's America to you - the bureaucracy crap.

 

[Jiro]

I agree - That is why if you are in a situation with the police; You are supposed to be calm and rational even if you disagree with the police. If you don't and you're acting belligerent - then you know you're going to get cuffed up and get tossed in the slammer.

and to make matter worse - you'll get charged with even more! like assaulting the officers, resisting arrest, etc. etc. when will these people ever learn? :roll: