Dallas Spohn Verified

It's a shame that someone has to die before they finally do something about a habitual drunk driver. Texas is just too lax on drinking and driving.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

Isn't it easier to have police helicopter track an offender than push the chase issue and increase the risk of high speed collision?

Perhaps these people would still be alive is law enforcement would be a bit wiser in how they go about apprehending suspects.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Anyone have any stats/studies on how often chases don't end with bystanders being hurt/killed?

On the one hand, I'd rather not have people this stupid roaming the streets any longer. On the other, I don't want to be squished like a bug just because some douchebag didn't want to do time.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Also, I don't think "giving chase" to someone who's already swerving on 75 is a bad move. It doesn't even sound like this was a chase; seems the officer pulled him over and he jetted before the cop walked up to the vehicle:

As the deputy approached the vehicle, Mr. Palacios drove away with his lights off and immediately exited at Mockingbird Lane, Ms. Leach said. He ran a red light at the intersection and struck another Tahoe, sending Mr. Palacios’ vehicle into the air.

Cop might have ran back into his car and followed for a few seconds, but immediately exited implies this wasn't a knock-down drag-out chase all over Dallas.

They had Mockingbird shut down at least out to Greenville...sucks to hear this is what all the commotion was.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Dallas Spohn Verified

Yeah, but Mr Uriel Perez Palacios should have already been in jail in the first place. He is only 21 going on his 5th DWI. Is there any way to find out if he is here legally? Maybe he didn't know any better because he couldn't read the warnings.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

jtmbls: Nobody's blaming the police.

Bleh, I hate to go into this here, because it's only barely topical - this wasn't really a car chase - but I recall that traffic chases do result in injury and property damage most of the time, and are pretty unnecessary. Is it still "blaming" the police if we suggest that it's better to have a helicopter follow a car than to have three squad cars following someone who's zooming along at 100 mph+?

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Dallas Spohn Verified

Finally, someone who cuts right to the nuts and bolts of the issue. If he was locked up on his first offence then there would be no chasing, no deaths to begin with. What ever happened to the police saying "stop or I will shoot?" <-- just a thought. well put Viva, relevant and to the point.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Wonder how long the typical chase is. Sure, we see crazy long chases on the news and TV shows, but how many go on long enough for a chopper to even get within the vicinity?

Also, a bit presumptuous to imply a chopper is safer - or maybe I just watch too many shows with clips of things that go boom. Not to mention, someone's still gotta be on the ground if they actually intend to apprehend the suspect(s).

Imprisoning someone for life after one DUI or holding them at gunpoint during a traffic stop are hardly reasonable, btw.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Dallas Spohn Verified

Who said anything about giving them life? And no where do I see mentioned about holding them at gun point. But hey, I am sure there is a place for you in politics as a spin dr. We don't need to complicate things to that degree. I say revoke their licenses. Never let them drive again. If your stupid enough to break the law by drinking then driving (especially when your on your 5th DUI @ age 21)then you lose your right to drive a vehicle, FOR EVER. yes, after your first DUI. don't advocate drinking and driving.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

So, cops should say "Stop or I'll shoot" when they're not holding anything to shoot with? Even if they simply keep their hand near their gun while shouting, firing shots on a roadway isn't exactly a safe approach.

And I'm not advocating DUI's...locking someone up after their 1st to prevent any other problems insinuates the dude isn't getting out. Last I checked, lack of a license doesn't stop a lot of folks from getting behind the wheel. Especially criminals.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

First, I know we all have the attention span of Tom Green, so let me reiterate: the following does not apply to this specific situation. If you're chasing a suspect, he's much more likely to drive recklessly than if he sees a dozen cop cars riding up his tailpipe. Following him with a discrete helicopter to where he's going is a much better way to handle things.

In this particular case? The officer did the exact right thing by pulling a drunk jerk over, and then the drunk jerk went and ran a red light, and killed two people. As far as I can read from the story, the officer did everything he reasonably could under the limitations of not being able to read minds or telekinetically shut off the engine.

What ever happened to the police saying "stop or I will shoot?" It's hard to hear a cop yelling that when you're peeling away from a traffic stop.

Not to mention, someone's still gotta be on the ground if they actually intend to apprehend the suspect(s). Sure. Have the police cars follow a few blocks away, out of sight of the fleeing vehicle. The helicopter will see where the perps stop and disembark. And if they show no intention of stopping, they can point out a likely place to set up spikes.

And no where do I see mentioned about holding them at gun point. Should I link you to your own comment? You only made it 20 minutes ago.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

That's a wonderful world you're living in, Pavel. How do you suggest we fund choppers to constantly fly major roadways so they're readily accessible when a bad guy runs from the po-lice?

Obviously they bust out the chopper when feasible, but I'd venture to guess cops couldn't tail a fleeing suspect at a reasonable distance long enough for a chopper to get in the air and on the scene. Not to mention, now you get into the arena of a spike in hostage cases. Nobody close enough to apprehend means as soon as the chopper is noticed, dude jumps out of the car and into a building looking for any leverage possible.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Dallas Spohn Verified

Ok so maybe the “stop or I will shoot” comment was irrelevant here. Some of my colleagues at TCU and I were talking about them being able to say that and actually doing it. Didn’t have to be at a traffic stop. Could have been some drug dealer or anyone who chooses to run from the police. Last I checked, lack of a license doesn't stop a lot of folks from getting behind the wheel. Especially criminals. <-- easier to idenitfy them. unless they went to wal-mart and got a new one for $110. Even if they simply keep their hand near their gun while shouting, firing shots on a roadway isn't exactly a safe approach. <-- I suppose letting a impared kid lose behind the wheel od a 1 ton car is your idea of "safe"?

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

I suppose letting a impared kid lose behind the wheel od a 1 ton car is your idea of "safe"?

What? Cop pulled over the inebriated kid...and dude sped off just at the thought of going to jail. I severely doubt threatening to shoot the poor bastard would entice him to stick around. Then you have to deal with drunky speeding uncontrollably AND shots being fired on a public highway.

Please tell me you don't hold public office - of any sort. Oh god, you're on the city council aren't you?

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Dallas Spohn Verified

you kidding me? I would be ran out of office within a week. Only old people think like I do and that is no place in todays hip new government.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Pavel Lishin Verified

Dallas_Spohn, it's sort of hard to tell who you're quoting. Can you add line breaks between quotes?

jtmbls, I'm sure you're right, but bureaucracies don't necessarily move quick. Maybe there's a better way that nobody's bothered to point out.

I doubt that car chases are a huge problem in Dallas, but in cities where they are an issue, I wonder how much it would cost to set up a fleet of small radio-controlled helicopters armed with video cameras and GPS - sort of like the recon aircraft the military has. You could have one in the back of each police car, and in case a chase is about to break out, a squad car pulls over and launches a little chopper, while someone back at the station pilots it and tracks the perp.

To keep costs down, the system could be designed by university students, using open-source software and off-the-shelf components. I bet you could get costs down to a few grand per unit (so long as the bidding process didn't succumb to nepotism and the like).

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Far too optimistic for your own good, Pavel. Lawyers would have a field day with student designed remote-control choppers playing an integral role in someone's arrest. Would more than likely have to be contracted out to insured companies.

And like I said, someone's gotta do the arrestin' to begin with. You gonna arm the RC chopper to keep fugitives in check until cops get there? Remotely firing ze miss-iles into old folks' homes won't go over well. Although, it'd make for some awesome Cops footage, so I say go nuts.

I doubt RC choppers with heat-seeking missiles are less costly in the grand scheme than following suspects in a car the cop is already driving.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

We have the technology

30 hour endurance at 50,000 ft.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Lisa Lawrence Merritt Verified

Helicopter issues? Let me tell ya that when some sh*t is going down on the Southside that the police helicopter shows up fast enough.

I've seen it enough times from my 23rd floor vantage point to know.

I brought up the helicopter idea because some areas of the country now have a "no chase" policy and from the air the on ground force can be directed to cut off the car in question.

That is all.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Meh, no doubt you have a better vantage point from the air, simply don't buy that it's less costly from a physical damage standpoint. You're still chasing someone who's going to crash into things until police take 'em out.

Pretty sure said "no chase" policies have the caveat that if there's enough of a concern for public safety, give chase and take out the car as quickly as possible. As soon as somebody gets killed because a guy was trying to outrun the chopper instead of a car there will be an outcry not to do that, either.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost Verified

Scott Doyle- off-topic... I'm updating my 'Doyle Lexicon', and was wondering what 'Meh' meant? I've seen you use it before, and I'm woefully under-speed on this subject. No insult or joke here, just curious.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

I'm pretty sure it's a long-forgotten Simpsons reference. Generally is used when you're indifferent, or consider something to be 'whatever'.

Basically, I use it when I don't disagree with someone's point but promptly discard it regardless. =p

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Scott Doyle Verified

Per the Texas Dep't of Justice, multiple murders qualify him for capital murder - meaning death penalty could be in the works if/when he's found guilty of both.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Jason Rice Verified

::What?? Death penalty?? Barbarians!!

So tumbles, what would you recommend? A warm bubble bath and a pedicure?

Just kidding. The whole story makes me ill.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Rick Yost Verified

ScottDoyle- Thanks.

1 year, 2 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )