Houston police chase ends in crash: Teen dead, 4 hospitalized
HOUSTON - A teen died and four other people were taken to the hospital after a Houston police chase ended in a crash in northwest Harris County, authorities say.
According to the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the teen driver that led police on the chase with three other teen passengers in his car has been charged with felony murder and evading in a motor vehicle.
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Officials say the chase involved Houston Police Department officers, but the criminal investigation is being conducted by the sheriff’s office because it ended in their jurisdiction.
The deadly crash occurred at the intersection of Veterans Memorial Drive and Bammel North Houston Road early Saturday morning, but police say the incident began almost five miles away.
According to Houston police, officers were near Rankin Road and Kuykendahl Road around 12:43 a.m. when they spotted a vehicle driving recklessly and tried to initiate a traffic stop.
Police say the vehicle didn’t stop, and a pursuit began.
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At some point during the chase, the suspect turned the car’s headlights off in an attempt to elude officers, and speeds reached up to 80 mph, according to HPD.
At the intersection of Veterans Memorial and Bammel North Houston, police say the suspect vehicle sideswiped a citizen’s car and then struck a pickup truck.
Police say a total of four teenagers – believed to be 16 and 17 years old – were in the suspect vehicle. The sheriff’s office says a teen passenger in the backseat died at the scene, and the three other teens – including the suspect driver – were taken to the hospital.
After the teen suspect was discharged from the hospital, he was transported to the Harris County Juvenile Detention Center and charged, authorities say.
Police say another innocent motorist in one of the other vehicles was also taken to the hospital and was last reported to be in stable condition.
The Houston Police Department is also conducting an administrative investigation, and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office is conducting a parallel investigation.