A man driving a stolen vehicle crashed into an innocent driver. Now, that driver and his family are questioning police chase policies. NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero has the story.
The Rockwall County Sheriff's Office says a deputy was able to track down a stolen SUV because a cell phone with a tracking app had been left inside.
But it's what happened next that left an innocent driver seriously injured and is leading to questions about pursuit policies.
Katie Grace and her boyfriend's mother were nearing SH276 and John King Boulevard in Rockwall just before Noon on Feb. 24 when her dash camera captured the terrifying collision.
Troy Dureault, 23, and other vehicles were stopped at a red light.
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"I looked to the left of me and all of a sudden I see a green Toyota SUV barreling down John King," said Dureault. "I didn't really have much time to react."
Dureault says his view had been obstructed by bigger vehicles next to him, he can't remember hearing sirens and began to drive forward once the light turned green.
The violent collision left the innocent driver with serious injuries.
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"Police had him about 70 miles during the crash," he said. "I did give myself a pat-down and when I did reach my collar bone I did figure out it was broken."
Grace and other drivers pulled over to help.
The suspect's SUV rolled and caught fire.
"I was barely able to see his car, let alone the actual assailant," said Dureault. "They were already guns drawn on him by the time I was out of the vehicle."
According to a spokesman for the RCSO, the pursuit lasted about 1.5 minutes and topped 85 miles an hour.
The suspect, Joseph Breaux of Shreveport, suffered minor injuries and remains in jail on a $95,000 bond.
Breaux, 41, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
The sheriff's office declined an on-camera interview with NBC 5 about the case or the department's pursuit policy, asking we file an open records request.
The policy, according to RCSO, is complex and multi-tiered.
Like all pursuits, this incident will be reviewed by the department and will take into consideration the time of day, weather and traffic, according to a spokesperson.
"With that person [the suspect] going that kind of speed, maybe back off," questions Troy's mother Suzanne Dureault. "I don't know, I wasn't in that predicament."
She says she has not had time to think about what led up to the crash and is only focused on her firstborn's recovery.
Troy's mother has not been able to bring herself to watch the dashcam video more than once.
Another worry is mounting medical bills, even with health insurance coverage.
"It's going to end up falling back on us because it was a stolen vehicle," she said.
Meanwhile, her son says the crash is simply the result of a series of unfortunate events.
"I don't blame myself," he said. "I don't blame the police either, they were following their protocol."
He does, however, advise drivers to wait a few seconds after their traffic light turns green.
Dureault has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Greenville where he undergoes physical therapy to walk again, according to his mother.
The innocent driver hopes to get back to camping and his full-time bartending job.
The family has a verified GoFundMe fundraiser to help cover medical costs. Click here for more information.
