Normally when police use spike strips to attempt to end a high-speed chase, they try to only do it in areas that have been completely cleared of other traffic. This wreck around Windham, Maine from yesterday makes it pretty clear why they do that, and what happens when they don’t. They didn’t in this case, which is why this shocking video, taken from the owner of a 2018 Chevy Silverado Z71 truck waiting by the side of the road, exists.
The person taking the video in the truck is 28-year-old Tyler Bisson, and the person fleeing the cops in that 2007 Chevy Cobalt is “a fucking asshole” according to Tyler. It’s easy to see why he thinks that:
Holy crap, that’s terrifying. That moment where Tyler realized the car is heading right at him and there’s really absolutely nothing he can do but yell “OH NO” is pretty painful to watch.
Luckily, the “fucking asshole” driving the Cobalt, 29 year-old Dale Tucker, did not cause serious injury to Tyler or his passenger, but another car he hit, a 2000 Buick Park Avenue, had three elderly people in it who were taken to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
Tucker was involved in the chase after being involved in a “domestic situation” and was stopped by police before speeding off.
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Because of how quickly the situation unfolded, Cumberland County Sheriffs were not able to clear the area completely before setting down the spike mats. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s department defended the use of the spike mats to the Press-Herald:
Usually, when spike mats are deployed, it is rapidly unfolding. We try to make it as safe as possible. If the suspect just drives over the strips, it is not a problem; if he tries to go around it or take other action, it becomes a problem.
The spike strips does not cause someone to lose control of their vehicle; they deflate the tires very gradually so they can keep control over the vehicle.”
“Him crashing was not caused by the spike strips, but was caused by him overcorrecting.”
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It’s a tricky call to make, but you’d think they’d have to expect some bad decisions to be made regarding attempts to avoid spike strips by the person fleeing, resulting in what happened here.
I’d tell you to be safe out there, but this is one of those cases where I have no idea what the bystanders could have done to be more safe.
I guess I’ll just wish you all better luck.
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