A man accused of stealing a pizza delivery driver's car in Oklahoma City led police on a chase that ended with him jumping into the Oklahoma River, where he floated for more than 10 minutes before officers pulled him out and took him into custody without incident.
According to the Oklahoma City Police Department, the suspect stole a delivery driver's vehicle that had been left unlocked on Southwest 23rd Street on Sunday. The driver reported the vehicle missing, and KFOR reports it was sometime after 5 p.m. that officers got the call about the car being taken. Separately, FOX 25 reported police said the stolen vehicle belonged to a Papa Johns driver and was taken near Northwest 23rd Street.
Accounts of exactly where officers first spotted the car and where the chase unfolded differ between outlets. The police department's account places the discovery near Southwest 29th Street and Interstate 44, with the suspect bailing out of the vehicle near Southwest 15th Street and Interstate 44 after refusing to stop when officers tried to pull him over. KFOR's reporting similarly describes police following the vehicle to Southwest 15th and I-44 before the suspect got out and ran, though it cites the vehicle being found near Southwest 29th Street and I-44. FOX 25, however, reported the vehicle was located near Northwest 29th Street and Interstate 44 before a short chase.
Suspect Heads for the Water
Once on foot, the suspect made his way toward the Oklahoma River. KFOR reported that he tried to get into the river to escape, and police say he ultimately jumped in. Officers positioned themselves along the water's edge to keep him from slipping away as he floated for more than 10 minutes.
To keep eyes on him the entire time, officers turned to a drone. FOX 25 reported that officers were able to keep the suspect in sight using the aircraft as he moved down the river, a tactic consistent with how Oklahoma City police typically deploy the technology. The department's drones have helped officers track suspects, recover evidence and make arrests, according to KOCO.
Drones Now a Routine Part of OKC Policing
The river chase is one small example of a tool that has become a regular fixture for the department. Oklahoma City police drones average nearly 1,200 flights a month, per the same KOCO report, with analysts at the department's real-time information center monitoring dispatch calls and prioritizing which incidents need a drone overhead. That same real-time drone capability let officers track Sunday's suspect from above rather than relying solely on officers on foot or in vehicles along the riverbank.
Police say the suspect was eventually detained without incident after exiting the water, though reports differ on exactly where the arrest occurred. FOX 25 reported the suspect was arrested near water at 15th Street and Meridian, while KFOR's account describes the arrest following the river pursuit without specifying that same intersection. Details such as the suspect's identity, age and any formal charges have not been released.
