What began as a stolen-vehicle call at a northeast Fort Worth gas station ended last Friday with a driver injured below Loop 820, after officers had already called off a pursuit when they learned the person was suicidal.
Fort Worth police said the chase started around 2:30 p.m., when officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at a gas station in the 2500 block of Northeast 28th Street, according to a statement reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Officers spotted the vehicle and tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver did not yield, and a pursuit began, the outlet reported.
Supervisors later ordered the chase ended after learning the driver was a relative of the vehicle’s owner and was suicidal, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. No arrests were reported at the scene.
Why Officers Halted the Chase
Police pursuit policies typically tell officers to constantly weigh the risk to the public, the driver, and officers themselves against the need to catch someone right away. Guidance used by many agencies leans toward backing off when a driver is believed to be intent on self-harm.
As laid out in the Oak Park Heights Police Department's vehicle-pursuit manual, a Lexipol template used by numerous departments, “Regarding suicidal persons, members shall not engage in a pursuit of a suicidal person(s) unless any of the following exist,” followed by a short list of limited exceptions. That kind of language reflects a broader shift toward de-escalating when someone behind the wheel appears to be more of a danger to themselves than to anyone else.
How the Chase Ended
Moments after the pursuit was terminated, officers reported that the vehicle had come to a stop on the Haltom Road overpass above Loop 820 and that they were attempting a felony stop, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. When they reached the car, it was empty.
A passerby told officers he believed he had seen the driver jump from the bridge. When officers looked over the edge, they found the driver lying near the shoulder of the highway, the outlet reported. Officers gave medical aid at the scene, and the person was taken to an area hospital with injuries that were described as non-life-threatening.
The driver was found injured near the highway shoulder below the overpass, and no arrests were reported at the scene, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Why This Stretch Matters
The Haltom Road stretch of Loop 820 has seen serious trouble before. A May rollover crash on West Loop 820 killed a driver and shut down southbound lanes for hours, underscoring persistent hazards along the corridor, the Dallas Morning News reported.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
