A police chase turned deadly Tuesday morning when police when Houston Police say a driver lost control of his vehicle in the 10500 Block of West Montgomery.
Assistant Chief Belinda Null with the Houston Police Department Criminal Investigations Command stated in a media briefing that the suspect was observed by Houston Police Officers driving without any lights on around 12:43 a.m. on August 16, 2022. The officers then attempted to make a stop, suspecting it was a D.W.I., and put their lights on in an attempt to get the driver’s attention and pull the driver over.
The vehicle then slowed down but continued to roll. Officers at that point used the P.A. system to instruct the driver to pull into a nearby parking lot.
The driver of the vehicle did not pull into the parking lot and continued to roll forward. The officers continued to follow the driver with the lights activated. At that point the driver took off at a high rate of speed, leaving the officers behind.
When officers finally caught up to the vehicle, the vehicle had already crashed. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to Assistant Chief Null, the investigation is still in its early stages and investigators still have not confirmed why the driver decided to take off. They do suspect it was a D.W.I. based on the headlights being not turned on but did not find anything in the vehicle in the early stages of the investigation that would confirm the driver was drinking.
Bodycam footage will be released within 30 days in accordance with the Houston Police Department’s policy when it comes to in-custody death, Assistant Chief Null stated.
