Police Chase Leads to Three-Vehicle Car Accident in Pharr
A police chase led to a Pharr car accident on November 8. Due to the high danger posed by police chases, there are limits on when an officer can initiate a chase. Keep reading to learn more about the police chase accident and police chases in Texas from the team at Villalobos Law Firm, McAllen auto accident injury attorneys.
The Police Chase Accident
A chase by officers with the Department of Public Safety led to a car accident involving three vehicles on Wednesday, November 8. The accident occurred on the Edinburg to McAllen portion of the I-2 and I-69C Interchange Project.
Authorities say that they were engaged in a chase with a vehicle when it lost control and rolled over at around 3:53 p.m. The vehicle collided with two other vehicles as a result.
The driver involved in the police chase was left injured and was transported to a nearby hospital. Those riding in the other vehicles were uninjured in the crash.
The Edinburg to McAllen ramp was closed following the accident, along with the westbound I-2 frontage road between Cage Road and Sugar Road.
When Can Texas Police Officers Engage in Police Chases?
If you’re wondering when Texas police officers can engage in high-speed pursuits, the answer might not be quite as simple as you would think. The fact is, whether or not police can initiate a chase in any given case may vary depending on where you live. This is because cities and towns can establish their own rules regarding when and how police can engage in high-speed chases.
In its 2015 Model Policy, the IACP Law Enforcement Policy Center states that high-speed pursuits should only be initiated “if the officer has a reasonable belief that the suspect, if allowed to flee, would present a danger to human life or cause serious injury.” This policy leaves considerable leeway for police depending on what they consider a danger to human life.
A 2023 General Order from the Houston Police Department states that its officers are only authorized to engage in a pursuit “if the officer determines in good faith that… the need to immediately apprehend the suspect outweighs the risk of harm to the officer or the public by engaging in the pursuit.” Again, this policy is somewhat vague, leaving it up to officers to determine how much risk a suspect poses compared to the risk of a chase. However, under the policy, officers are restricted from using pursuits against low-level offenses, including traffic offenses and nonviolent misdemeanors.
Austin, meanwhile, has a more detailed outline describing how an officer should decide whether or not to engage in a chase. First, it states that high-speed pursuits cannot be used against suspects believed to have committed non-hazardous traffic violations. Chases also can’t be started if the officer has a suspect in the vehicle or if the roadway is unsafe due to weather or a high number of pedestrians.
In general, Austin states that officers are authorized to begin a pursuit “when it is reasonable to believe that a subject is attempting to evade arrest or detention by fleeing in a vehicle,” but it goes on to lay out 12 different factors to consider first, including the seriousness of the suspect’s alleged crimes and the danger posed to the public.
If you’ve been involved in a McAllen police chase accident as a bystander, a McAllen personal injury attorney can help you seek relief.
Source: ValleyCentral4
