Dallas: Texas Truck Chase, Hostage Drama Ends

[TXCharlie]

This stupid OJ-type parade pre-empted Sunday night programming on all the Dallas network channels from when I tuned in at 5pm till 9pm - And "60 Minutes" was supposed to have something interesting on for a change.

When it got of of town to an open non-populated area & DPS took over, they wasted no time in bringing out the AR-15's and shooting all the tires, fuel tank, and engine. That part was worth seeing

Carjacker: 0, DPS: 1

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/9563081/detail.html
POSTED: 7:01 am CDT July 24, 2006
UPDATED: 9:25 am CDT July 24, 2006

FORT WORTH, Texas -- A hostage drama ended peacefully Sunday along a highway near Dallas.

A man who police said held a female truck driver hostage surrendered after police fired tear gas into the cab of an 18-wheeler. The woman and her dog ran to safety.

An hour-long standoff followed a three-hour chase that at one point went through downtown Dallas and through three counties. Police forced the rig to stop by shooting the tires and into the engine.

During the chase, the suspect was interviewed by Dallas television station WFAA. He said he did not believe the chase would end peacefully and spoke about injustice toward black men in the United States.

Police believe at least two earlier hijackings may also be connected.

The chase began at about 4 p.m. at the Pride Fuel Stop in Fairview, Texas, when a suspected carjacker kidnapped a female truck driver, police said.

It ended at about 8:45 p.m. in Tarrant County after SWAT teams shot the truck's fuel tanks out, and Department of Public Safety officers shot out some of the 18-wheeler's tires.

Police said the suspect originally robbed a man at gunpoint in a Lowe's parking lot. The suspect then fled the scene in the victim's Lexus, police said.

The man then allegedly wrecked the Lexus in Denton County, Texas, at about 3:13 p.m. When a Good Samaritan stopped to help, he was then carjacked, police said.

The suspect then allegedly drove that car to a truck stop to fuel up. When he was unable to get gas, he carjacked the 18-wheeler and its driver, police said.

The suspect held a gun to the truck driver, forcing her to drive across three counties, police said. The 18-wheeler made several reckless attempts to lose police. The chase moved through residential areas with the driver driving the wrong way on streets.

The chase stopped briefly a couple of times, and several attempts to spike the truck tires were made. The wheels on the cab portion were flattened and the driver rolled along on rims.

The chase continued through Oak Cliff and downtown Dallas, through Grand Prairie.

Dallas police cruisers were rammed as they tried to surround the vehicle, but there did not appear to be any serious injuries.

Two SWAT tanks drove behind the 18-wheeler in the low-speed chase. Collin County, Plano and Dallas police departments were also involved.