If you’re ever looking for advice from police on what you should do when it comes to being pursued, this is the story for you. Though it should be obvious what you should and shouldn’t do if the police are after you, some individuals seem to need a little extra help. A suspected shoplifter who led deputies on a chase got a very blunt answer when he asked what else he was supposed to do: “Not run, brother.”
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a reported theft at a Target and quickly identified a white pickup truck towing a camper trailer allegedly used by the suspects. Deputies tracked the truck as it exited the parking lot, and according to the sheriff’s office, the driver eventually exited at Yosemite Street. The deputies then stopped the vehicle, and the suspects took off on foot. Body camera footage shows the pickup and camper jackknifed near the exit after the occupants bailed out, blocking part of the roadway.
The suspect took off across a massive open field in the bodycam footage. The deputy recording spotted the man running through dry grass and pursued him, repeatedly ordering him to stop and get on the ground. The man eventually surrendered and was taken into custody, but his story doesn’t end there.
As deputies restrained him, the man could be heard apologizing, saying he was sorry, then asking what he was supposed to do under the circumstances. The deputy’s answer was immediate: “Not run, brother.” Seemingly obvious, of course. A second suspect fled toward Lone Tree, and Lone Tree police later helped find him hiding in heavy brush. He later surrendered and was arrested as well.
What the Two Suspects Are Charged With
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According to the sheriff’s office, the suspect is charged with vehicular eluding, reckless driving, careless driving, possession of drug paraphernalia, obstructing a peace officer, false reporting, operating an uninsured and unregistered vehicle, and being a fugitive from justice. The second suspect faces charges of theft, obstructing a peace officer, and possession of drug paraphernalia. There’s a lot to unpack there, actually.
The driver, who allegedly fled in the truck and then on foot, has a series of additional counts. No other vehicles were damaged when the suspects abandoned the pickup, but their own truck was damaged when it jackknifed with the camper at the Yosemite exit. It seems neither of the individuals involved will be getting off “easy” in any way, however.
Why Fleeing Turns a Misdemeanor Into a Felony
The deputy’s four-word advice said it all: running almost always makes things worse. Theft, depending on the value of what was taken, is often a misdemeanor, but trying to escape from police can add far more serious charges on top of it. In Colorado, vehicular eluding is a criminal offense on its own, for example.
And additional charges will tend to snowball in the end, too. A driver who tries to run can rack up reckless and careless driving counts, obstruction for refusing to stop, and further charges for anything found in the vehicle or on the person, as the paraphernalia counts here show. Jackknifing a truck and trailer across a roadway poses a danger to the public that a store theft would never have involved.
So the best thing to do is, like the deputy said, “not run” in a situation like this. And probably just avoid stealing or driving away in the first place.