Driver Fleeing Traffic Stop Crashes Into Turnaround on Loop 410
A woman crashed her car on a Loop 410 access road in San Antonio at around 3:40 a.m. on April 4. The driver was detained on suspicion of DWI after crashing near Airport Boulevard and the Highway 281 interchange.
The crash occurred after a Castle Hills police officer tried to make a traffic stop. When the officer approached the vehicle on the main lanes of Loop 410, the driver sped off.
The officer caught up to the driver after she crashed into the wall of a turnaround. She was arrested on suspicion of DWI after an evaluation at the scene. It is unclear if she will face other charges.
A passenger inside the vehicle was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. A third person was unhurt.
The investigation is still ongoing.
Traffic Stops by Law Enforcement
You are legally required to stop if you are approached by an authorized emergency vehicle under Texas law. Failure to stop after a signal from a police officer is a Class B misdemeanor and can be elevated to a Class A misdemeanor if the driver “recklessly engages in conduct that places another in imminent danger of serious bodily injury.”
It’s best to never attempt to flee when you are being pulled over. Not only will you get a misdemeanor charge for taking this action but the risk of injury or death for yourself or other drivers greatly increases.
Here’s what to do during a traffic stop:
- Pull over to the shoulder as soon as you can.
- Turn on your hazards and turn on the dome light at night.
- Stay in the car unless the officer tells you otherwise.
- Keep your hands visible on the steering wheel.
- If you need to get your registration, tell the officer where they are before you reach for them.
- Follow any instructions given to you by the officer.
- Keep any passengers in the car.
- After the stop is over, make sure to safely merge back into traffic.
While you should always pull over immediately, you may feel it isn’t safe or have concerns that the vehicle isn’t a real police vehicle. The Texas Department of Public Safety recommends the following in these cases:
- Turn on your hazard lights.
- Drive below the speed limit.
- Call 911 and remain on the line to verify the officer’s identity.
- Find a safe and well-lit place to pull over.
It should be noted that there is NO guarantee that you won’t be charged with failure to stop. The only exception is if the officer directs you to find a safer place to pull over.
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Source: KSAT
