Two people were arrested for impersonating law enforcement after leading police on a high-speed chase from Phoenix to Tempe. The pursuit began when a red Jeep, equipped with flashing lights, ignored a state trooper's attempt to pull it over. The chase, which reached speeds over 100 mph, ended when a Grappler device was used to stop the vehicle in a Tempe neighborhood, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
The scene unfolded around 2 a.m. last Saturday, when the driver, identified as a woman, was arrested, and a male passenger attempted to escape on foot, leading to a standoff, reported FOX 10 Phoenix. "This is the Tempe Police Department," an officer said during the standoff. "We are not leaving." It was a vacant home the suspect chose to hide in, which backed up to other residences, where the residents were woken up and left shaken by the night's events.
Detailed by 12News, the pursuit originated from reports of the suspicious vehicle operating on I-10. DPS's helicopter, Phoenix Firebird, eventually tracked the vehicle to its stopping point in Tempe. After the vehicle came to a halt, two people exited the vehicle and fled, triggering a search that concluded with both suspects in custody. Their identities have yet to be disclosed.
Sebastian Garcia, a neighbor caught amidst the chaos, recounted the tense moments to FOX 10 Phoenix. "This street was blocked, that street was blocked, everybody was facing that way. We went in through the backyard, there was helicopters, lights, and police and all that," Garcia observed the situation. Additional charges of felony unlawful flight are pending, adding to the police impersonation allegations.
In concerns over public safety against potential police impersonators, Retired Phoenix Police Commander Jeff Hynes advised the community in an interview with FOX 10 Phoenix. "It’s simple, pull over in a well-lit, populated area. Call 911. You can ask to speak with a supervisor and tell them that you want a marked unit to come to your location," he suggested.
