Houston police officers jump into Uber to chase running suspect, video shows

An Uber driver in Houston experienced an unusual early morning detour when two police officers commandeered his vehicle to continue a pursuit. Anthony Baines was driving around 12:20 a.m. on August 8 when he stopped near East 7 1/2 Street and Oxford Street. His dashcam captured the moment a suspect ran across the street in front of his car, with officers in close pursuit.

“

Hey, give me a ride over there, please. Go! Drive that way. Go, go, go!

One officer entered Baines' vehicle, instructing him, "Hey, give me a ride over there, please. Go! Drive that way. Go, go, go!" A second officer also joined the rideshare, directing Baines to the suspect's location. Approximately two minutes later, both officers exited the vehicle to continue the chase.

“

It caught me completely off guard. I’ve never had anything like that happen driving. I was surprised but just did what the officer asked in the moment.

Baines told Storyful that the incident caught him "completely off guard," stating, "I've never had anything like that happen driving. I was surprised but just did what the officer asked in the moment." The Houston Police Department, through spokesperson Erika Ramirez, confirmed the unusual assistance. Ramirez told The New York Times that officers were responding to a report of a man who had threatened a woman and her children during a dispute, believing his property had been stolen.

“

While trying to locate him, a nearby citizen assisted the officers by giving them a ride. The citizen then dropped the officers back at the apartment where they used patrol vehicles to continue searching for the suspect.

Ramirez stated that the suspect managed to break free from officers and fled on foot. "While trying to locate him, a nearby citizen assisted the officers by giving them a ride," she explained. "The citizen then dropped the officers back at the apartment where they used patrol vehicles to continue searching for the suspect." The unidentified man has not been located, and the investigation is ongoing. Ramirez expressed gratitude for Baines' help, noting, "We're thankful for him helping us."

“

We’re thankful for him helping us.