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Even when officers are well-trained in pursuit tactics, things can suddenly go wrong. Out of different police agencies we’ve analyzed dashcam footage from, Arkansas State Police seems to be one of the better-trained departments out there, yet the video we’re sharing shows how a high-speed PIT maneuver not only sends the suspect’s vehicle flying off the road, but the trooper’s Dodge Charger as well.
Watch a brazen carjacking in Philadelphia go down here.
We’ve heard some former cops admit chases are usually pretty fun. We imagine after filling out so much paperwork, sitting around waiting for things to happen, just driving around and looking for possible crimes, running down someone who thinks they can give you the slip is pretty exciting.
And while domestic violence calls can be action-packed, those and traffic stops can be quite deadly for law enforcement. All that combined means chasing people is a great activity, even if it can be dangerous for police, suspects, and innocent bystanders.
In this video, we see a Dodge Charger take the lead on stopping a suspect who appears to have given police the slip a few times during a chase. Cops like using Chargers for PIT maneuvers because they’re heavy and low to the ground, making the chances that something will go wrong for the officer during the procedure much lower.
However, nothing is foolproof, even doing a PIT with a Charger. The red Dodge with no roof lights takes the lead and catches up with the suspect’s truck on a straightaway on a two-lane road. The suspect pushes the speed to over 115 mph, dodging traffic by going over the double yellow line, blasting past a couple of school buses in the process. The trooper leading the chase backs off for a moment, then when innocent civilians aren’t in sight, he makes his move.
It seems like the suspect is familiar with what PIT is and so as the trooper moves up on the driver’s side of the truck, he veers into oncoming traffic, forcing the police Charger onto the shoulder. Not to be deterred, the trooper veers to the passenger side of the truck and gets nice solid contact with his pushbar against the rear quarter panel. The force sends the suspect’s truck spinning off onto the grassy shoulder. Unfortunately, the trooper’s car goes in the opposite direction.
We’re not trained in pursuits, but it looks like a combination of slick conditions thanks to the rain and oversteer from the trooper fighting against the suspect trying to push him instead lead to the horrific outcome. That explains why the truck did a 180-degree turn so hard. Had the trooper throttle-steered his car instead of lifting off the accelerator, he might have been able to recover after the PIT. But when your heart is pumping hard and that adrenaline is flowing like crazy, you’re often not thinking clearly. This is why law enforcement should have more funding, more staff, and more training time. It looks like the trooper probably wasn’t hurt and the Charger will ride again, but it could’ve turned out so much worse.
Check out the video for yourself.
Image via Police Pursuits/YouTube
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