Video shows stolen car driving wrong way before 17-year-olds among 3 arrested in weekend chase

Daniela Hurtado Image
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Video shows chase where police followed stolen car going wrong way
Two high school students were among three people arrested after a stolen truck led HPD on a chase going the wrong way on the Gulf Freeway feeder.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A police chase involving a stolen vehicle ended with three people, including two 17-year-olds, being arrested over the weekend.

Court officials confirm Oscar Calles, a 17-year-old high school student, is the accused reckless driver who allegedly evaded law enforcement and went the wrong way on a busy road.

Suspects Daniel Luna and Sarai Garcia are also tied to this case and accused of being in the vehicle while throwing metal tools out the window and running away from the scene with stolen property.

All three suspects have multiple charges, including engaging in organized crime. According to court records, Calles and Garcia remain in jail.

Court documents confirm Luna already made bond. The trio is accused of almost causing multiple crashes while going the wrong way on the Gulf Freeway feeder road.

SEE MORE: 'Too many': HPD Chief Finner reveals revised version of chase policy amid growing number of pursuits

An ABC13 viewer sent dashcam video that captured the moment a pickup truck was barreling straight toward them on Saturday.

"HPD is advising they're still going southbound in the northbound lane," an officer said over the radio.

The same viewer camera caught the moment three Houston police units sped by into oncoming traffic behind that speeding truck.

"Counterflow, I just saw an HPD unit go counter-flow...I will not continue," a League City police officer said over the radio.

Representatives with the League City Police Department confirmed it's against their policy to go counter flow, meaning driving the wrong way on a road, so they backed off as officers with the Houston Police Department continued their pursuit.

"Every case is different, and you've got to weigh the dangers and decide when it's time to back off and when it's time to keep going," Mark Stephens, a retired HPD officer, said.

Stephens, who has more than 100 chases under his belt, says the truck is seen on video going at a high rate of speed with no warning, as officers are behind with their lights and sirens alerting drivers of what was coming.

"It's your job to stop that guy before he hurts somebody," Stephens said.

According to HPD's policy, they are not allowed to chase a vehicle if they are going the wrong way on the freeway.

It doesn't specify whether that includes feeder roads.

"You also drove the wrong way on a major road, almost causing several head-on collisions... crashed at least once but drove again," a hearing officer said to the suspects during probable cause court over the weekend.

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