A late-night police chase in the Greenspoint area ended with one patrol car briefly on fire, three Houston officers banged up, and a suspected car thief in handcuffs. The officers’ injuries were described as minor, and all three declined medical treatment at the scene. They are expected to return to duty.
Where chase ended
The pursuit wrapped up at the intersection of Ella Boulevard and Rushcreek Drive, Sgt. David Rose of HPD's Vehicular Crimes Division told OnScene TV, as reported by FOX 26 Houston. Houston police units and Department of Public Safety troopers were involved in the chase into the Greenspoint neighborhood. According to FOX 26, one responding patrol car hit the back of another, sparking a brief fire that crews quickly knocked down.
Police account and arrest
According to the Houston Chronicle, officers were chasing a suspect believed to have stolen a vehicle by force or at gunpoint before the crash. The three officers involved suffered minor injuries but declined to be transported and stayed at the scene, the Chronicle reports. The pursuit ended with a man taken into custody, though investigators have not released his name or any formal charges.
Possible charges under Texas law
If investigators confirm that the vehicle was taken at gunpoint, prosecutors could be looking at robbery or aggravated robbery charges under Texas law. The Texas Penal Code defines robbery as theft carried out by, among other things, putting someone in fear of bodily injury. The offense is elevated to aggravated robbery when a deadly weapon is used. Any eventual charges and penalties will be up to prosecutors once the case file lands on their desks.
Context: a pattern of dangerous crashes
This latest wreck lands on a growing list of recent patrol-vehicle crashes in Houston. In early December, a crash near downtown sent two officers and two civilians to the hospital, according to the Houston Chronicle. HPD's Vehicular Crimes Division is now handling the Greenspoint investigation as well.
Officials have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact Houston police. Investigators continue to process the crash scene, and police say the officers involved are expected to be back on duty.
