- Texas state troopers tore apart the cab of a tractor-trailer after a highway pursuit near Houston on Wednesday.
- Troopers used spike strips to stop the truck on Interstate 10, but the driver showed signs of “severe impairment” and resisted arrest for several hours.
- A bulldozer-like vehicle crushed the driver's cab, and a police dog pulled him out before officers arrived.
Texas state troopers tore open the cab of a tractor-trailer and dragged the driver out Wednesday after a slow pursuit on a highway that closed down the road for hours.
The dramatic crash on a freeway east of Houston occurred hours after sheriff's deputies attempted to pull over a truck. The incident could be seen on television news footage playing along the interstate. The driver's arrest left questions about what prompted his actions and the harsh police response.
Deputies eventually used spike strips to flatten the tires and forced the 18-wheeler to stop on the shoulder of Interstate 10.
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Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said the driver continued to rev the disabled vehicle's engine for several hours, ignoring police orders to get out of the vehicle. One wheel of the truck could be seen spinning on a flat tire even after it was stopped, surrounded by police cruisers and armored vehicles.
Despite being surrounded by police, the man continued to resist arrest. (Fox News)
Police eventually used a bulldozer-like vehicle to smash the cab, then sent dogs into the truck and dragged the driver out around 4 p.m. Television footage showed police walking the man, whose face was bleeding, to a stretcher.
Gonzalez said the driver continued to press the gas pedal and held on inside the cab as officers tried to pull him out. He said the driver appeared to be suffering from “severe impairment” but authorities did not know what was behind his actions.
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“We still don't know why he had such an erratic reaction,” Gonzalez said. He did not reveal the man's name.
The container the truck was towing was empty, the sheriff said.
