Yahoo Autos Watch: Grappler Bumper Ends Police Chase With A Big Crash
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We bring to you yet another dashcam video of law enforcement using the Grappler Bumper to end a high-speed chase. While the device has been around for years, lately there have been a number of police agencies getting at least some for their fleets. Before watching this video, you might be wondering why these aren’t as standard as push bars and rooftop lights, but the actual footage might cause some doubt.
Watch police in Arizona use the Grappler Bumper to stop a chase.
The footage comes via Thurston County Sheriff’s Office in the state of Washington. A suspect in a stolen car is fleeing from a sergeant who was patrolling the area, hitting speeds up to 100 mph. You can also see in the video the suspect keeps crossing the solid center line on the two-lane rural road, including through turns.
To call the suspect’s driving reckless would be accurate. The way he’s behaving on the road presents a clear danger not only to himself but also the sergeant and any innocent drivers who might happen to come across this pursuit.
However, the sergeant doesn’t want to grapple the fleeing car until backup catches up. In the meantime, all he can do is keep dispatch up to date on where they are and what’s happening.
But once another unit jumps into the chase, the sergeant moves into position and wraps the Grappler device around the rear tire of the suspect vehicle. Blowing the myth some people have built that these always end in a controlled manner, the suspect veers off the road, through a fence, ultimately hitting a tree.
In other words, it might have been just as brutal as some PIT maneuvers. So much for the Grappler always ending a chase with little to no drama.
Ultimately, it was found this driver had multiple warrants for his arrest, including for felony assault and hit-and-run. He also reportedly had a firearm and meth in the vehicle.
Image via PoliceActivity/YouTube
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