Police Arrest Man Who Stole Police Car, Wrecked News Van

HOUSTON, TX — A man who stole a Houston Police cruiser and tried to carjack a KPRC news crew was arrested late Monday morning. The Houston Police Department said in a tweet that the University of Houston Police had played a key role in identifying the suspect.

The entire incident began to unfold at about 4:40 a.m. Monday when a KPRC news crew who were on their way to cover a story, stopped at a traffic signal at the intersection of Chartress and Texas Avenues, police said.

That's when the man, who has not yet been identified, slammed his car into the side of a KPRC news van and tried to carjack the driver. While the suspect was trying to force the driver from the news van, two Houston Police officers who were taking a 16-year-old juvenile to jail, pulled up. The officers said the man confronted them and they began fighting.

The man broke free and tried to drive off with the female officer hanging onto the patrol car, and dragged her a short distance.

The man who stole the car dropped the juvenile prisoner off about two blocks from the incident and later abandoned the police car, which was found an hour later.

The news crew and the officer suffered minor injuries and were taken to an area hospital for treatment. Charges against the suspect are pending, police said.

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