Houston police chase leaves bystander in critical condition, families demand change
Three Houston chases end in crashes
One woman remains in critical condition after a police car crashed into her during a chase with a suspect Thursday morning, but the woman was an innocent bystander not involved in the incident. This now marks the third police chase in the last week ending in a crash and leaving several people fighting for their lives. FOX 26’s Natalie Hee spoke with some of the victim’s families who are calling for change.
HOUSTON - A woman remains in critical condition after a Houston police unit crashed into her during a chase with a suspect Thursday morning. Investigators say the woman was an innocent bystander who was not involved in the incident.
It happened around 2:50 a,m, at Beechnut near SH 6.
HPD says the chase started when officers tried to stop a car with license plates that didn’t match. The suspect police were chasing got away. The innocent woman was Life Flighted to the hospital and remains in critical condition. Officers said she is expected to survive.
This now marks the third police chase in the last week that has ended in a crash, leaving several people fighting for their lives.
SUGGESTED: Houston police chase ends in crash with uninvolved driver at Beechnut, SH 6
Some of the victims’ families are now calling for change.
"There's kids already fighting for their lives and here we are again, almost a week later, you guys are doing the same thing. Another high-speed chase. And now somebody else is in critical condition," said Alyssha Thompson.
Thompson says hearing the news of another crash resulting from a chase is triggering. Her 14-year-old daughter Khamani Thompson remains in the hospital fighting for her life.
Six days ago, Khamani was in the car with her cousin and 16-year-old friend when a suspect fleeing from Humble and Houston police ran a red light and crashed into the innocent teens at Ella Boulevard and Rankin Road.
Police say that chase started over an expired registration.
RELATED: Montgomery County chase starts in The Woodlands, ends in deadly crash
Both teenagers are now left with broken bones and possible brain damage.
"It's like when it, when is it going to stop? We can't stop people in their crime, but we can stop how we handle things so that it could be a different outcome because now people have nothing to do with whatever the crime is, are now suffering for everybody else," Thompson said.
On Wednesday night, Montgomery County deputies were involved in a high-speed chase when the driver lost control, hit a tree, and was ejected from the car into a bank. Investigators say the driver died instantly. It happened along Woodlands Parkway. Two deputies who were on their way to the crash also collided with one another but were not injured.
Legal analyst Chris Tritico says police chases are a complex issue. He said all factors like time of day, traffic congestion, and severity of the crime are always taken into consideration.
"What happens when you let someone go and then they go and commit a more heinous crime? They kill somebody in another crime, and we could have gotten them had we just chased him? The public would have an outrage over that. What's the right answer? And there's never really a right answer here," Tritico said.
HPD said the chase remains under investigation by the Vehicular Crimes Division.