Police say the chase started at around 2:30pm Tuesday at a Kroger on Voss and San Felipe with a report of a stolen black Ford SUV. The driver refused to stop and the pursuit then went east on Woodway to Memorial and into downtown.
From SkyEye 13 HD, there appeared to be at least six police cars following the suspect's vehicle.
The suspect was driving erratically at speeds of around 30mph as he wound his way through downtown and into east Houston. At least two of the vehicle's tires appeared to be blown out, reportedly from spike strips laid out by police, as the suspect drove on the rims.
About 20 minutes after the chase began, near Wayside and Eskridge just north of the Gulf Freeway, the SUV rear-ended a police car and officers boxed him in. They then rushed the vehicle.
One officer could be seen attempting to pull the suspect out of the driver's side window, but the window was rolled halfway up. On the passenger side, another officer could be seen breaking the vehicle's window and a third officer opened the door and climbed inside. The officer on the driver side then climbed into the vehicle and helped the officer on the passenger side get the suspect out of the vehicle on the passenger side.
Officers then handcuffed the suspect and searched the vehicle.
"He was an extreme danger, just in complete disregard for the motoring public, officer safety as well as his own safety," said Lt. David Angelo with HPD.
An eyewitness told us the suspect did not want to get out of the vehicle.
"I think he didn't want to come out because he didn't even open the door. (Police) broke the window and they went in the car. He didn't even open the doors," said the eyewitness.
The suspect has been identified as Graham Ley. He was either injured during the chase or when police took him into custody. With his head bandaged and his hands cuffed behind his back, Ley appeared to be talking to anyone who would listen as paramedics loaded him into an ambulance. He was wearing a facemask and in no need of the crutches he uses to walk.
Police say Ley, 30, faces three felony counts, including aggravated assault of a public servant, evading arrest and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
According to police, Ley is still at Ben Taub Hospital.
