A high-speed police pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended tragically on Thursday, February 1, 2024, when the car crashed and exploded, killing all four passengers in Dallas, Texas.
The driver, while attempting to elude the Irving, Texas police, lost control of the vehicle. This resulted in the car careening off the Woodall Rodgers Freeway ramp and crashing near Interstate 35.
The chase was initiated around 2 a.m. in Irving, Texas after Dallas police spotted the stolen car on the 3200 block of North Beltline Road.
Despite multiple attempts by the police to halt the vehicle, the driver accelerated, leading officers on a high-speed chase toward Dallas.
“The vehicle lost control, veered off the ramp to Woodall Rodgers, and crashed, resulting in a devastating fire,” narrated Irving Police spokesperson Anthony Alexander.
The victims of the crash, identified by the Dallas Medical Examiner, were 21-year-old Sabria Lacey, 21-year-old Anthony Lisbon, 22-year-old DeAvion Aubert, and 21-year-old Robert Gowans Jr.
A Dallas County Sheriff’s Office deputy also sustained injuries during the chase, though they are not life-threatening. The injury occurred when the stolen vehicle struck a light pole, causing it to topple onto the deputy’s car.
The fatal chase and subsequent crash led to the closure of the Woodall Rodgers exit ramp on southbound I-35E and the Continental exit off northbound I-35E, causing considerable disruption to early morning traffic.
The incident has provoked a range of responses from Irving residents about the police’s approach to pursuing stolen vehicles.
An ongoing investigation is also being conducted to determine if the Irving Police Department adhered to its chase policy during this incident.