A man in Dallas, Texas, is facing multiple charges after he allegedly took control of a patrol car and drove off with an officer inside the vehicle. As per the police, the suspect had already been arrested, but managed to free himself without anyone noticing.
According to a press release issued by the Dallas Police Department (DPD), the incident occurred on Saturday, May 30. At 5:30 p.m., DPD officers had carried out a traffic stop on South Marsalis Avenue and arrested 37-year-old Stacey Huffman.
Huffman was accused of driving with an invalid license, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He was handcuffed and placed in the backseat of the patrol car.
While sitting in the backseat of the car, all by himself, Huffman managed to free his left hand from the handcuffs, police said. He would then hide his now-freed hand behind his back. Moments later, things escalated.
Suspect Takes Control of Car
The DPD shared footage of what went down inside the patrol car. While on the way to jail, Huffman allegedly tried to open the locked rear door of the squad car, which can be seen in the clip above.
Noticing this, and with Huffman no longer in a seatbelt, the driving officer stopped the patrol car on the northbound I-35 near Illinois Avenue. Both officers exited the vehicle, determined to restrain the suspect.
At around 6:10 p.m., Huffman is accused of climbing into the driver’s seat and driving away. One of the officers, however, managed to enter the backseat of the patrol car.
Officer Tries To Stop Suspect
As Huffman was driving the patrol car, the officer on the back deployed his Taser, police said. This had little to no effect, as Huffman managed to pull the taser wires away.
Eventually, the officer drew his duty weapon, telling Huffman to stop. Huffman, instead, allegedly accelerated the car, prompting the officer to strike him with the weapon.
The erratic driving continued, police said, and the officer was “violently thrown” across the backseat. At the time, the patrol car reached speeds of approximately 50 miles per hour.
Jumping Off, Preventing Tragedy
At one point, Huffman decided to open the door and jump from the moving vehicle, as seen in the DPD footage. The officer, meanwhile, began moving toward the front of the patrol car.
As the vehicle began to swerve right, the officer grabbed the wheel and steered to the left. This prevented a collision with a black sedan, which was inches away from making contact, as seen in the footage.
Eventually, the officer managed to push the brakes with his hands. He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment and was subsequently released. Huffman was injured as a result of his jumping and remains hospitalized.
Once Stacey Huffman is released, he will face multiple charges. As per the DPD, these include the ones mentioned above on top of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and escape from custody.
The incident remains under investigation.