Hummer Justice

Business owner chases down suspects
06/15/2003
By News Channel 3 / azfamily.com Staff

What began as an armed robbery ended with a chase and a wreck -- a Hummer sitting on top of another vehicle -- that sent two people to the hospital Saturday evening.
According to Phoenix police, it was just before 7 p.m. when three armed suspects reportedly walked into Mr. Insurance near 13th Avenue and Camelback Road and demanded money from the owner.
The suspects got away with some cash, but it didn't end there. Police said the owner of the store went after the suspects in his Hummer. The store owner didn't just chase the suspects, he ran them down -- rolling his Hummer over their four-door vehicle.
"I've been doing this job for about 14 years and I have not seen this kind of accident scene, where a vehicle is actually sitting on top of another vehicle," said Lt. Mark Hafkey of the Phoenix Police Department.
The Hummer chased the suspect vehicle through the neighborhood, eventually stopping it near Seventh Avenue and Indian School Road.
"He managed to roll on top of the suspect vehicle," Hafkey said.
"I heard tires screeching and everything," said Willy Ross, a witness. "I thought maybe the guy driving the Hummer was drunk or something, on drugs, the way he was driving."
Several witnesses saw the chase as the two vehicles barreled through their neighborhoods.
"The guy in the Hummer was speeding pretty bad," Ross said. "He was ... out of control coming through the neighborhood."
Two suspects were taken to a nearby hospital. At last check they were in critical condition. Two more managed to get away, but police caught up with them a short time later.
It's not clear yet if the driver of the Hummer will face charges. Police do, however, have some advice for anyone considering taking the law into his own hands -- don’t.
"I'd recommend that nobody chase a violent suspect as these four apparently are," Hafkey said.