Stolen truck chase ends in fiery crash

**gnome** · August-13-09, 08:52 AM

Pretty graphic video recorded by Channel 2 helicopter

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...losion_8132009

When you see the video, you'll see a truck being pursued by the cops. A red mini van makes a left turn in front of the speeding truck, hitting it, and sending it pinwheeling into another truck, a power pole before bursting into flames.

The driver of the stolen truck was car-b-qued.

By my eyes, it looks like the mini van caused the crash. If for no other reason than when the cops have their lights on, you pull over to the right curb; regardless if the lights are behind or in front of you.

**Locke09** · August-13-09, 09:03 AM

I looked at it several times. Even though the truck was being pursued and was speeding, it did have the green light. The van definitely made a left turn in front of the truck. I wonder whether there will be any repurcussions for the van driver?

**CountrySquire** · August-13-09, 09:13 AM

What is deceiving is the rate of speed the Truck was traveling. From the perspective of the helicopter it looks as though the truck is loafing along at 35 MPH, when in actuality he was probably doing at least twice that. It is hard to determine the rate of speed from the LH turn lane of an approaching car. The mini van driver probably assumed the truck was going a normal speed when he executed his turn. I would be surprised if any charges were laid against him. Or perhaps he was trying to assist the officers in ending the chase, which if he admitted such a thing I could see some culpability on the van driver's part for the stolen truck driver's death. But could he not argue that he was in fact potentially saving lives further down Michigan Ave from a lawless speeding car thief willing to do what ever it takes to not get arrested?

**Detwa** · August-13-09, 09:13 AM

It almost seems like the minivan deliberately hit the truck, like he was trying to HELP the police. I haven't seen the minivan driver yet on the news to hear their story, but it is a little odd that they turned right in front of the truck when its obvious that you would either stop, or get to the other side when you see the police coming. Or maybe they thought they could make the light even though the truck was coming so fast - but didn't they see/hear the police? It's all just weird and disturbing.

Any word yet on the truck driver?

**gnome** · August-13-09, 09:20 AM

I'm sure the van driver had trouble judging the speed of the oncoming truck. It is difficult determining speed of something coming at you, especially if that speed is out of the ordinary.

While the van driver was heading east, into the morning sun, so I'll bet ya that played a major role in the accident; however, that's why you pull over to the right when the bubble tops are flashing. From the other witnesses the truck was being pursued by Taylor, Detroit and State Police ... that's a lot of blue and red lights to miss...even if they were backlit by the low in the sky morning sun.

**Danny** · August-13-09, 09:22 AM

Just another crazy folk stealing cars to make a quick buck, but the fiery crash put himself into hell!

**Nikki Pooh** · August-13-09, 09:23 AM

It wouldn't surprise me if the family of the deceased driver files a lawsuit against DPD or the minivan driver. With the state of the economy nowadays, I'm sure lawyers were watching the coverage with glee...

Another note, the minivan driver should be cited for failure to yield for right-of-way and an emergency vehicle.

**Detroitnerd** · August-13-09, 09:26 AM

You guys are totally over-analyzing the van driver. She's just doing the friggin' I-don't-give-a-shit left turn into traffic. I see this all the time. She's probably on the phone and not paying any attention. Or if she is, she's playing chicken with the oncoming car, just to fuck with it. Truck driver made a mistake; the proper thing to do is to veer way to the left of the car and give a sustained honk while you drive past for doppler effect.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · August-13-09, 09:31 AM

The driver of the van was a woman, so I'd hardly think she was helping out the police in pursuit. She had some injuries that weren't life threatening Like another poster said, she just mis-judged the speed of the on-coming truck. The driver of the truck was dead at the scene.

**sirrealone** · August-13-09, 10:04 AM

One less thief on the streets.

**RO_Resident** · August-13-09, 10:07 AM

I was watching the weather and traffic report on Channel 2 this morning as the chase was in progress. I thought that they were spending too much time on the chase, so I switched over to Channel 4.

The traffic report was already in progress. The traffic reporter said something about the chase. As she was going on to the problems on other roads you could hear staff off camera go into a bunch of commotion. So 4 cut to their live helicopter shot. A couple of police officers were ran over to the burning car with fire extinguishers. With all of fuel that spilled, they didn't do much good. You knew it wasn't going to end nicely for the driver.

The HOV diamonds made it easy to recognize the chase was going down Michigan Ave.

**ggores** · August-13-09, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

The driver of the van was a woman, so I'd hardly think she was helping out the police in pursuit.

As a result of recent crackdown on the local ho's business... women just aren't being very helpful at all to the cops these days. oy.

Stosh · August-13-09, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Nikki Pooh

It wouldn't surprise me if the family of the deceased driver files a lawsuit against DPD or the minivan driver. With the state of the economy nowadays, I'm sure lawyers were watching the coverage with glee...

Another note, the minivan driver should be cited for failure to yield for right-of-way and an emergency vehicle.

From the Michigan Vehicle Code:

[[5) The driver of a vehicle traveling at an unlawful speed shall forfeit a right of way which the driver might otherwise have under this section.

In other words, for the driver of the truck, too bad, you lose anyway.

http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-257-649

**bailey** · August-13-09, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by Nikki Pooh

Another note, the minivan driver should be cited for failure to yield for right-of-way and an emergency vehicle.

thanks for keeping up this site's long and storied tradition of blaming the victim of a crime for any injury.

**gnome** · August-13-09, 11:07 AM

Stosh, thanks for that research, great info. Didn't know about that.

As a side note, since the stolen vehicle was indeed stolen, will the owner's insurance company be liable for all the damage? Anyone know how that works ... if your car is involved in an accident can you be held liable?

**Ray1936** · August-13-09, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by Nikki Pooh

It wouldn't surprise me if the family of the deceased driver files a lawsuit against DPD

Way I read the story, DPD wasn't involved. It was MSP involved in the pursuit.

**R8RBOB** · August-13-09, 11:21 AM

Originally Posted by Locke09

I looked at it several times. Even though the truck was being pursued and was speeding, it did have the green light. The van definitely made a left turn in front of the truck. I wonder whether there will be any repurcussions for the van driver?

Both vehicles had the green light. Since there was no left turn light, the driver of the red minivan had the right to turn provided she could do it fast enough. I would suspect like most drivers today she was on her phone and could not gaze the speed of the truck. I don't think she was trying to stop the pursuit. The mistake the dude made was that he swerve right instead of left.

Another note, the minivan driver should be cited for failure to yield for right-of-way and an emergency vehicle.

Not going to happen because they both had the right of way.

**Mipade** · August-13-09, 11:26 AM

7am slider crowd was in for a big surprise if it were not for that pole.

**R8RBOB** · August-13-09, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by Mipade

7am slider crowd was in for a big surprise if it were not for that pole.

Actually, it was the truck in the driveway that saved the diner. The pole is what killed the thief in the truck.

**Alfie1a** · August-13-09, 11:36 AM

and the good news is.......Telway wasn't hit.

mmmmmm Telway.

**wolverine** · August-13-09, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Locke09

I looked at it several times. Even though the truck was being pursued and was speeding, it did have the green light. The van definitely made a left turn in front of the truck. I wonder whether there will be any repurcussions for the van driver?

Both vehicles had ROW, except one was speeding, so the driver being chased is at fault.

FYI, even if no police were present, and there were no witnesses. I've had two friends traveling at the speed limit, and have someone in the other direction make a left turn into them causing an accident. No one received tickets, but both had to pay the insurance deductible.

**Ray1936** · August-13-09, 12:16 PM

Better 11-minute tape of the entire chase at http://www.clickondetroit.com/video/20383074/index.html

**EastsideAl** · August-13-09, 12:27 PM

Thank goodness it didn't take out the Telway!

Looks like one of the tires flew up and gave the sign a good smack though.

**Sstashmoo** · August-13-09, 12:36 PM

Quote:'Not going to happen because they both had the right of way."

Never have the right of way making a left.

**gnome** · August-13-09, 12:51 PM

Ray, that longer vid is shocking. The thief, an obvious madman, ran countless redlights, drove the wrong way down one way streets, as well as into the path of oncoming vehicles. I lost count at 20 the number of vehicles he almost hit head on.

Lucky that no one died, except the madman. Ray, did you ever have such a situation? If not, how would you have handled what we saw today?