A Tulsa, Oklahoma, man was accused of driving under the influence and fleeing police before finally being arrested on early Monday, May 25. However, the pursuit began on a highway and ended with the suspect hiding under a porch, only to be tracked down from above by a helicopter.
The Tulsa Police Department said that the incident happened at around 1 am. An officer spotted a black pickup truck speeding southbound on Garnett Road and immediately took chase.
When the officer made contact with the vehicle, he tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver kept going instead. The truck made various turns before going northbound on Highway 169, where speeds escalated to 90 MPH.
Interestingly, the police had to terminate the ground pursuit while the truck continued to speed up on the highway.
Fortunately, the suspect was not out of view for very long.
Suspect Found Hiding Under Porch
Tulsa Police Helicopter personnel began to survey the area where the vehicle fled, eventually being able to track it through the city. The crew continued to follow the driver until he eventually stopped near Independence Street and North 91st East Place.
This is when the pursuit changed into an attempt at hide-and-seek. The short-lived effort found the suspect, who was revealed to be 21-year-old Jose Martinez, hiding under a nearby porch after abandoning the truck.
Once Martinez was apprehended and taken into custody, yet another discovery was made: multiple open containers of alcohol inside the truck. When questioned about whether he had been drinking, he replied with “Only beer.”
Aerial Support Kept the Streets Safe
Jose Martinew was then transported to the Tulsa County Jail and booked on multiple charges, which included aggravated driving under the influence, eluding a police officer, and transporting an open container. Fortunately, no injuries wre reported as a result of the pursuit.
This incident serves as yet another example of how aerial support can help law enforcement safely monitor pursuits after a high-speed chase is discontinued. Officers were able to prolong the dangerous pursuit while still successfully apprehending the suspect.
Police have not released additional details about what prompted Martinez to keep fleeing. It has also not been revealed whether a field sobriety test or a blood alcohol test was conducted following the arrest.
Reactions to Man Hiding Under Porch After Police Pursuit
Commenters were quick to leave their opinions in the replies below the Tulsa Police Department’s Facebook post. One person poked fun at the highest speed of the chase, saying, “Whoa….90 whole mph’s…🤦🏻♂️😂🤣….thats the left lane speed limit!!!”
Another commenter praised the involved police officers for their work, saying, “The Eye in the Sky is a great tool!! Glad you got this drunk off our streets! Good job!” A different commenter wrote, “Excellent work TPD and Eyes in the Sky!”
Local authorities did not release additional identifying information. When agencies provide limited details, we supplement reporting with local news coverage, public records, and direct outreach whenever possible. In this case, no additional information was available at the time of publication.