A Houston Uber driver was caught off guard when two police officers jumped into his vehicle and directed him to chase a suspect fleeing on foot, according to a wild dashcam video.
The incident occurred on August 8 in the Houston Heights neighborhood, where the driver, Anthony Baines, was working for Uber at around 12:20 a.m. A shirtless man ran across the street in front of Baines' vehicle, with two Houston Police Department officers close behind.
The dashcam video shows Baines being waved down by an officer, who then hops into the front passenger seat and directs Baines to chase the suspect. The officer can be heard telling Baines to drive in a specific direction, while Baines asks for clarification.
After driving for a short distance, the officer signals for her partner to get in the vehicle, and he jumps into the backseat. The officers rode with Baines for several minutes while searching the area, before one of them appeared to spot the suspect. Both officers then jumped out of the Uber and resumed their pursuit on foot.
Baines, who described himself as an Army veteran and husband and father of two, said he was surprised by the incident but followed the officer's instructions. He later confirmed on social media that he was the driver in the dashcam footage. The incident is currently under investigation, and the suspect's identity has not been released.
NTC Report coverage is based on reporting from the original publisher.
View original reporting →
