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Jun 2, 2008 4:13 pm US/Central
Elderly Woman Killed In Dallas 'Bait Car' Crash
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
Dallas police officers were following a 'bait car' when the suspect crashed into another vehicle, killing an elderly woman.
A bait car, also called a decoy car, is a vehicle used by a law enforcement agency to lure and capture car thieves.
The bait car was taken from the 2500 block of Bahama and the driver crashed into the bystander's vehicle about a mile later at 12th Street and Montreal.
Police say they were following the bait car--but not chasing it--when the crash occurred. "The officers followed the suspect at that point, but not in a chase perspective," explained Dallas Police Sgt. Gil Cerda. "There's no need to chase."
According to officials, an officer spotted the bait car at Hampton and Burlington and began following the vehicle without activating his lights or sirens. Soon after, police say the suspect driver took off at high speed and subsequently ran two stop signs. Officers say he hit the woman after barreling through the second stop sign. The woman was sitting in a parked vehicle at the time.
The elderly woman was taken to Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where she later died.
The suspected car burglar, whose name has not been released, was injured in the crash and also taken to Methodist. The Hispanic male in his 20s is said to be recovering from his injuries.
Police say the suspect will face a number of charges related to the auto theft and the death of the innocent driver.
Generally, bait cars are specially modified vehicles that police use to catch car thieves. The cars typically include features including GPS tracking and hidden cameras and microphones that police can monitor remotely.
Each bait car usually also has a remote controlled 'kill switch' that allows police to disable the engine and lock the doors. It isn't known why police didn't shut off the vehicle in this case.
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