Houston police chase ends in Montrose, passenger in 20-mile long pursuit speaks

HOUSTON - A dangerous chase at lunchtime snaking from Houston's Northside, coming to a crashing end between Montrose and the Upper Kirby District. I spoke with a woman who was in the vehicle that was being chased.

The passenger in that speeding SUV, says she didn't know if she would make it out to tell her story. "I'm just happy to be alive. I'm happy to be alive. I'm happy he's alive too," says Robin Rogers.

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Going 85 miles an hour, the driver managed to miss other vehicles during the nearly 20-mile pursuit, but there was a close call with a pedestrian on Shepherd Drive at West Alabama where the SUV crashed.

"I thought I was going to die and if I didn't die in that car, I thought one of them was going to kill me," Rogers adds.

Fortunately, no one was injured during the 22-minute chase that began on Aldine Mail Route at Hardy Toll Road. Detectives say someone reported seeing a man stealing from a construction site and when deputies tried to pull him over, he sped away in a silver SUV.

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"Very dangerous. I mean it's noon time in Houston. There are vehicles everywhere," says Lt. Mike Santos with Harris County Sheriff's Office.

The nearly 20-mile pursuit ended in West Alabama between Shepherd and Greenbriar when the SUV crashed into the curb. A pedestrian had to dive out of the path of the vehicle.

"He has a swollen wrist, but he's fine. Didn't want to be transported to the hospital," explains Santos.

"Several times I told him to stop," Rogers says.

Robin Rogers was a passenger in the SUV during the chase, with her longtime friend behind the wheel. "I just prayed for my family. I prayed for us. There was no point and time I could have gotten out of that car," Rogers says.

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Investigators say a valuable saw was stolen. "It's the same saw that the firemen use to cut concrete, cars, and that sort of thing. It's massive. They're very expensive," Santos says. 

The expensive equipment has been recovered. The driver is now arrested and faces charges of theft and evading arrest. Rogers, who just recently got out of jail, thought she may go back, but says she's thankful to be heading home for the holidays instead.

"And I'm happy I'll see my grandson for Christmas," Rogers smiles.   

Lt. Santos says the HCSO pursuit policy allows them to use a pit maneuver to stop a chase, but he says they chose not to because the roads were just too crowded at lunchtime to safely do so.