Drivers in north Phoenix got an early-morning scare on Monday when a reported wrong-way SUV led Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers on a short chase before getting snagged by a high-tech grappling device at 19th Avenue and Glendale Avenue.
According to Arizona's Family, DPS says troopers first tried to pull over the SUV on Interstate 17 near Dunlap Avenue. The driver refused to stop and exited onto surface streets, heading along Glendale Avenue with multiple patrol cars behind. Traffic cameras recorded the SUV weaving along the roadway before troopers fired up the bumper-mounted grappler and snagged a rear tire near 19th Avenue and Glendale Avenue.
Drone and traffic video show the SUV grinding to a controlled stop, then the driver stepping out with hands raised as troopers closed in. Authorities say no one was hurt, and the driver was taken into custody at the scene.
How the Grappler Works
The Grappler is a bumper-mounted system that shoots out a tethered net meant to wrap around a fleeing vehicle’s rear tire or axle and bring it to a controlled stop, according to the Los Angeles Times. Each unit runs about $5,000 and agencies are increasingly adding it to patrol fleets as an alternative to spike strips and PIT maneuvers, which can fling debris into traffic or spin cars out at high speeds. Departments that use it stress that timing, coordination and training are critical so the net hits the right spot and does not make a bad situation worse.
Industry reporting notes that Phoenix was an early adopter of the device, and other departments in Arizona and around the country have since rolled it out in a variety of pursuit situations. Officer has published video of prior uses and reported that results can vary depending on speed, road conditions and the type of vehicle being chased. Experts say departments still need more data before they can fully measure how much safer, and under what circumstances, the tactic really is.
Authorities have not released the driver’s name or any potential charges, and the Department of Public Safety has referred additional questions to investigators, per Arizona's Family. For now, DPS is emphasizing that the pursuit ended without injuries and that the driver was safely taken into custody. This story will be updated if investigators release more details.
