Houston Police Use Rideshare Driver’s Car During Foot Pursuit of Threat Suspect

Driver says officers asked for help as suspect outran police on foot

HOUSTON, Texas — Houston police enlisted a rideshare driver’s help during a foot pursuit of a man accused of threatening to shoot a mother and her two children, according to the Houston Police Department. The unusual pursuit unfolded after officers tried to detain the man as he was leaving an apartment, police said.

The driver, Anthony Baines, said he was about a block from picking up a passenger when he saw a shirtless man running down the street with two officers behind him. One of the officers asked Baines to let the officers use his vehicle to close the distance on the fleeing man, he told KPRC.

Houston police confirmed the authenticity of video showing the encounter and said the suspect had become upset because he believed someone had stolen from him. Authorities said the man refused to cooperate when officers attempted to detain him and then ran from the area.

Police could not locate the fleeing man

Baines said the suspect appeared fast enough that the pursuing officers were losing ground on foot. He decided it made sense for them to use his car to continue the chase, he said.

“The gap between the cops and the suspect, I felt that it would make sense for them to get in a vehicle and pursue the suspect because he was extremely fast,” Baines told KPRC. “I didn’t think they would be able to catch him on foot.”

The driver’s assistance did not lead to an immediate arrest. Houston police said officers were unable to find the man despite the effort to pursue him by vehicle.

The episode highlights the unpredictable situations encountered by rideshare drivers, who may find themselves close to emergency police activity while carrying out routine passenger pickups. It also raises questions about when officers may seek assistance from members of the public during rapidly developing pursuits.

Baines said he had not known what his rights were when the officer asked for help, but said he was pleased he could assist. KPRC said it contacted the Houston Police Department for information about department policy governing officers’ use of a private citizen’s vehicle in pursuing a suspect.

“This is by far a unique situation,” Baines said. “I never prepared for anything like this. So this is different.”

Police had not announced an arrest in the case. The suspect remained at large as of the latest report, and the circumstances surrounding the alleged threat and the pursuit remain under investigation.