FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - A pursuit in Fort Lauderdale ended with an SUV flipping onto someone’s front yard and a suspected burglar in custody, police said.
According to Fort Lauderdale Police, the man in Thursday morning’s pursuit was wanted on a felony in Sunrise and was spotted in Fort Lauderdale but fled when officers tried to pull him over.
The man was identified as 24-year-old Thomas Jamaine Roberson.
During the pursuit, Jamaine Roberson lost control and hit an SUV, causing it to flip, and both vehicles ended up on the lawn outside a house along the 1100 block of Northwest Ninth Avenue.
“I just saw the white car chase going down the street, the cops chasing behind it, it makes a U-turn and come back running, then I heard a big bang up here,” said a witness.
“I saw the white car coming like 90 miles per hour down the street. The Mercedes was trying to swerve over to move away from the police but she couldn’t move over because the guy was swerving so much so she couldn’t really get away,” said a man.
Mike Williams, who lives at the home where the pursuit came to an end, spoke with 7News hours later.
“I heard all these cars and commotion, ‘bang, bang, bang,’ police sirens,” he said. “My first thought was, ‘I’m hoping everyone’s OK,’ you know.”
The bang’s apparently the sound of the Jamaine Roberson’s car spinning and smashing into the SUV.
Officers had tried to use the Grappler device to stop the driver, but they said he somehow lost control and caused the SUV to flip.
“I look at my front yard, and there’s a car flipped over right here and another car there and police screaming to somebody to get out of a vehicle. Guns drawn, rifles,” said Williams.
The SUV that was hit had a family inside, two women and a little boy.
“I guess when they apprehended that guy, a kid and a family came out of the car upside down, crawling out, screaming for help,” said Williams.
The three occupants in the SUV were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Broward Health Medical Center with minor injuries. As of Thursday evening, they remain at the hospital.
Back at the scene, Williams said he’s glad he wasn’t out walking his dogs or taking his children to school at that moment.
“There is a school right across the street, and there was a school zone at that time, so that’s insane,” he said.
Everyone involved is expected to be OK.
Jamaine Roberson is facing a long list of charges, including kidnapping, robbery and carjacking.
He will be booked into the Broward County jail after being checked out at the hospital.
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