On November 9, 2024, at approximately 2:00 AM, an Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZ DPS) trooper observed a red Jeep with red and blue LED emergency lights speeding eastbound on I-10 near 35th Avenue in Phoenix. The Jeep, traveling over 100 mph, appeared to be impersonating a law enforcement vehicle. When the trooper attempted a traffic stop, the Jeep’s driver refused to pull over, leading to a high-speed pursuit through Phoenix into Tempe.
As the Jeep fled eastward on I-10 and then onto the 202 Red Mountain Freeway, the Phoenix Police Air Unit tracked the vehicle. The Jeep exited at Priest Drive in Tempe, where it entered a residential area near Priest and University Drive. Troopers and Tempe police patrol units worked together to contain the suspect’s vehicle, deploying a Grappler Police Bumper to force a sudden stop near South Albert Avenue and West 7th Place.
The driver, an adult female, was taken into custody along with multiple passengers in the Jeep. One male passenger attempted to flee on foot but was located by the Phoenix Police helicopter, which issued commands from overhead. Despite initial non-compliance, the suspect was apprehended in a nearby backyard by officers.
Both the driver and the fleeing passenger face charges, including police impersonation, unlawful flight, and other felonies. The other passengers were detained for investigation but later released on the scene.