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Jun 30, 2009 6:03 pm US/Central
2nd Crash Puts Dallas Chase Policy In Question
IRVING (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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The latest car chase involving Dallas County constables started with an expired tag. Although the pursuit was short-lived, it ended with a three-car crash at the intersection of Conflans Road and North Belt Line Road in Irving.
This is the second chase in as many days to end with a crash in the middle of a busy intersection. And, in both cases, the suspects slammed into innocent drivers. Both began as routine traffic stops.
Tuesday morning, a Dallas County constable pulled over the driver of a gold car because the temporary license plate was expired. The constable told the driver that her car was going to be towed. That is when the driver fled. The constable chased her.
"He immediately put his vehicle in reverse, went after her and activated his emergency equipment," said Sgt. Mike DeLara.
The pursuit lasted about a mile and a half before the woman ran a red light and collided with a maroon car and a work truck. Three people were injured, and a dog in the maroon car died.
Officials said that the constable deputy and supervisor make the decision as to whether or not a chase is warranted. "This one here happened so fast there wasn't any time to make that decision to call it off," said DeLara.
Meanwhile, the constable is reviewing
Monday's chase, which lasted almost 90 minutes and went through several major cities, along several major highways. It ended with a crash on the line between Richardson and Garland.
Because constables are elected officials, each one can draft and enforce a pursuit policy as long as it is lawful. Dallas County commissioner John Wiley Price said that he's tried to address pursuit policies, but it is up to the individual constables to change. "I've tried to talk about reviewing those policies, but I'm told we're limited in what we can say to them," Price said.
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