Fort Worth police release footage showing a high-speed chase with suspected drunk driver
By: The Fort Worth Police Department released police dash cam video, showing some very tense moments of a suspected drunk driver trying to flee from officers.
The dash camera in the police car shows the driver nearly hitting the squad car while backing up. Police say that's when 29-year-old Andrew Guerra wouldn't let his passenger out and sparked a high-speed chase through Fort Worth's 7th Street Entertainment District. The officers reported they could hear Guerra's passenger telling him to stop.
The officers immediately started giving details of the pursuit over the radio to their supervisors. The dash cam video shows Guerra hitting the curb at least twice while fleeing the police car. Officers announced their location and gave a play by play.
"He's going the wrong way, down Fox. We are eastbound on West 7th," said the pursuit officer. "He just struck a curb. He's driving recklessly, speeds are about 50 and traffic is light."
On Monday afternoon, Fort Worth Police Sgt. Jason Spencer gave an update on the case involving Guerra. The Fort Worth Police Department Pursuit Policy is not a public record and marked as restricted on the department's website in the General Orders.
"The officers were in constant communications on the radio. A supervisor was aware, They approved the pursuit," said Spencer.
When the pursuit reached University Drive and West 7th Street, police say Guerra drove around stopped traffic, struck a pole, hit a stopped car and then struck an innocent man and woman walking nearby.
As Officers ordered Guerra to the ground, others checked on his injured passenger and the two pedestrians, who paramedics took to the hospital with serious injuries.
Guerra's charges include evading arrest, intoxication assault with a vehicle causing injuries and unlawful restraint connected to his passenger who wanted to get out of his truck.
Part of the investigation into the pursuit and crash includes trying to find out Guerra's whereabouts prior to him allegedly getting behind the wheel after reportedly having too much to drink.
"I can tell you that evidence of alcohol was found in the car in terms of any other types of substances," Spencer said. "That's all going to be part of the full investigation."
What the officers did right or wrong during the pursuit is under review.