Chief Finner wants harsher penalties after HPD officer's mom killed by fleeing carjackers
Authorities said it all started with two suspects involved in a violent carjacking Wednesday night.
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Houston police Chief Troy Finner is calling on lawmakers to take action after an innocent woman was killed and others were hurt in a crash involving suspects fleeing from police Thursday.
Authorities confirmed the woman who died was the mother of a Houston Police Department officer.
"What a tragedy. Oh, my God," bystander Vickie Paschel said.
The violent crash scene drew sympathy from onlookers and a call to action from Finner.
"Let's increase the penalty for people fleeing in vehicles. It's dangerous," he said at the scene.
According to HPD, it all started Wednesday night at about 8 p.m. when two suspects robbed a woman of her Dodge sportscar.
Cathleen Hill said she was the one who was carjacked near Hobby Airport.
"There were two young guys dressed in camo with ski masks. They robbed me at gunpoint. They had two assault rifles to my head, saying they were going to take my car and get out of the way," Hill said.
Finner said the woman had a tracking system with her dealership and contacted police Thursday morning about the car's latest location, at 7800 Jutland Road near Bellfort.
At about 10 a.m., officers spotted the two suspects in the stolen vehicle, initiated a pursuit, and quickly lost sight of them because of their speed, according to Finner. Police ultimately decided the chase was dangerous and pulled back.
"This does not look like a pursuit or an incident where we were pursuing, and they crashed into somebody. This is squarely on the suspects from what we know right now," Finner said.
ABC13 obtained surveillance video from two nearby businesses that showed HPD patrol units following the vehicle at a distance shortly before the wreck.
WATCH: Surveillance video shows moments before suspects running from police crash into multiple vehicles
Councilwoman Carolyn Evans-Shabazz has spoken out against police chases. On Thursday, she said she was glad to know police chose to pull back and not engage but is still outraged that someone's life was lost as the result of this crime spree.
"I want to know, how do you sleep at night knowing you have taken away someone's loved one?" Shabazz asked.
The suspects reportedly ended up at the Martin Luther King and Van Fleet intersection, where other vehicles were stopped at a light.
"The suspect disregarded safety for anybody, plowed into those vehicles," Finner said.
WATCH: HPD chief speaks after innocent woman killed in crash with chase suspects
A woman in one of the stopped vehicles was killed, and two others were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The two suspects were also transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
"I was saddened to learn in (Thursday) morning's crash caused by a suspect driving a stolen vehicle is the mother of a Houston police sergeant," a statement from Finner later read, in part.
"There's been a lot of talk about pursuits and the HPD policy," Finner said, adding that he's planning to make some adjustments to it next week. "From what I know from this scene right now (Thursday), it's not a policy issue. And everybody in the criminal justice system is going to have to take an active role to do their part."
At least one lawmaker responded.
In a statement to ABC13, State Sen. Joan Huffman, who is vice chair of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee, wrote the following:
"I will always work with law enforcement when they have legislative ideas about how to make our streets safer and protect our citizens. I completely agree with Chief Finner. Criminals that flee from police and cause the loss of life must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. If that law is insufficient, then I will lead the effort to strengthen it in the Texas Senate."
Finner said the two suspects are in their late teens or early 20s and were armed, adding that they should expect murder charges soon.
"If you shot a gun into a crowd, what would the punishment be? We need the same damn punishment of people in vehicles," Finner said.
The victim's name has not been released and the sergeant and his family requested privacy, Finner said.
