Dashcam video captured an unusual scene in Houston when two police officers, in the midst of pursuing a suspect, jumped into an Uber driver's car and directed him to aid in the chase. The incident occurred around 12:20 a.m. on August 8, in the Houston Heights neighborhood.
Uber driver Anthony Baines reported being "off guard" when officers flagged him down as he drove. The video shows an officer approaching his vehicle and then entering the front passenger seat, instructing him to drive toward the fleeing suspect. "Go, go that way … go, go, go, go, go!" the officer is heard saying in the footage.
Shortly after, the officer's partner, also in pursuit on foot, joined them in the backseat of Baines' car. The officers rode with Baines for several minutes while they searched the area. At one point, one of the officers appeared to spot the suspect, and both officers exited the Uber to resume the chase on foot.
Baines expressed his surprise at the turn of events, stating, "It caught me completely off guard. I’ve never had anything like that happen driving. I was surprised but just did what the officer asked in the moment."
Houston police confirmed the authenticity of the video and incident to KPRC 2. According to reports, officers had been responding to a call concerning a terroristic threat, where the suspect allegedly threatened to shoot a woman and her children. The suspect reportedly ran away when officers attempted to detain him as he was leaving an apartment complex. The officers then requested the Uber driver to drive them around the block to the apartment complex, where they eventually returned to their own vehicle.
Despite the assistance from the Uber driver, the suspect was not apprehended. Their identity has not been released, and the investigation is ongoing. Baines, an Army veteran and father of two, reportedly began driving for Uber to save for his first home.