HPD officers rescue toddler passenger after chase suspect drove Mini Cooper into Sims Bayou

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A police chase on Houston's southeast side came to a wild end when officers had to jump into Sims Bayou to arrest a suspect and help save a small child who was in the backseat of the car.

The child, who is under 2 years old, is OK, police said. When Houston police officers started chasing the suspect, they reportedly had no idea the toddler was in the car. They only found out after the Mini Cooper ended up in the bayou.

Officers said they tried to stop the driver in the 10400 block of Randolph Street around 11:30 p.m. Sunday, but he kept going, sparking the chase. It only lasted about 10 minutes because the driver decided to cut through a field to get away from the officers, HPD said.

Unfortunately for the suspect, the field ends at the bank of Sims Bayou.

Investigators said the car went into water about 15 feet deep near the 7900 block of Grove Ridge Drive.

Four HPD officers jumped into the water, and that's when they saw the man removing a child from the backseat.

The officers took the child and brought it to safety, but the chase wasn't over just yet.

"The suspect took off and tried to go in the opposite direction, and so that's when the other officers basically swam out to the suspect and apprehended him almost to the other end of the bayou, and were able to bring him back to the scene," Lt. Pham said.

The suspect faces felony evading charges and could also be charged with child endangerment. Police were working to learn if the man has legal custody of the child.

Investigators said one officer sprained his ankle during the action and was being checked out at a hospital.

HPD said crews will return to the bayou later Monday morning to remove the Mini Cooper, which was fully submerged by the time ABC13 got to the scene.

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