Chase Involving Stolen Police Cruiser Ends In A Crash
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NORTH RICHLAND HILLS (CBSDFW.COM) - A nearly half-hour chase involving a stolen Grand Prairie police cruiser ended this morning when the suspect crashed in North Richland Hills.
Police said it began around 12:15 a.m. when a veteran Grand Prairie officer was picking up a suspect, 25-year-old Luis Olivo Alarcon Jr., who escaped from custody during a transfer at Parkland Hospital.
"The officer pushed the suspect in a wheelchair out to his squad car, put him inside, and then headed back into the hospital with the wheelchair," said Grand Prairie Police Det. Lyle Gensler.
Alarcon was handcuffed and shackled, police said.
"The officer got about 15 feet away when he observed his patrol car rolling off," Gensler said.
Two Dallas officers, who were already at Parkland, observed what happened and gave chase.
The pursuit ran out the Airport Freeway into Irving and past DFW Airport before continuing through Euless, Bedford and Hurst before moving onto Loop 820 heading west.
Gensler said the suspect lost control before Denton Highway, and crashed the squad car into a grassy area below the main lanes of the freeway.
Alarcon will now face additional charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, grand theft auto and felony evading arrest.
Grand Prairie investigators will look into whether the officer involved violated any department policies in handling the suspect, Gensler said.
The name of the officer involved was not immediately released.
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