On February 1, 2024, a car chase involving a stolen vehicle ended tragically in Dallas, Texas, as the vehicle crashed, caught fire, and resulted in the death of all four occupants.
The driver, while trying to evade the Irving, Texas police, lost control of the vehicle. This caused the vehicle to careen off the Woodall Rodgers Freeway ramp and crash near Interstate 35.
The chase was initiated around 2 a.m. in Irving when Dallas police officers located the stolen vehicle on the 3200 block of North Beltline Road.
Despite police attempts to halt the car, the driver accelerated, leading the police on a high-speed chase into Dallas.
“The vehicle lost control, veered off the ramp to Woodall Rodgers, and crashed, leading to a catastrophic fire,” relayed Irving Police spokesperson Anthony Alexander.
The victims of the crash were identified by the Dallas Medical Examiner as Sabria Lacey, Anthony Lisbon, DeAvion Aubert, and Robert Gowans Jr, all in their early twenties.
During the chase, a non-life-threatening injury was sustained by a Dallas County Sheriff’s Office deputy. The deputy was positioning to deploy spike strips when the stolen vehicle hit a light pole, resulting in it falling onto the deputy’s car.
The incident’s aftermath led to the closure of the Woodall Rodgers exit ramp on southbound I-35E, and the Continental exit off northbound I-35E, causing significant disruption to early morning traffic.
The incident has elicited varied reactions from Irving residents regarding the police’s pursuit policy of stolen vehicles.
As part of the ongoing investigation, a review is being conducted to establish whether the Irving Police Department’s chase policy was adhered to appropriately.
