Houston police officers jump into Uber to chase running suspect, video shows

An Uber driver in Houston found himself in an unexpected situation when two police officers jumped into his vehicle to chase a suspect who was fleeing on foot. According to the driver, Anthony Baines, he was en route for Uber at around 12:20 a.m. on August 8 when he stopped near East 7 1/2 Street and Oxford Street in Houston Heights.

Dashcam footage showed a suspect running across the street in front of Baines' vehicle, prompting one of the officers to request a ride. "Hey, give me a ride over there, please," the officer instructed as she entered the driver's seat. "Go! Drive that way. Go, go, go!" Another officer climbed into the back seat, both pursuing the suspect.

The officers directed Baines to the location where the suspect was heading, and about two minutes later, both officers exited the vehicle. The driver expressed surprise at the situation, stating, "It caught me completely off guard. I’ve never had anything like that happen driving. I was surprised but just did what the officer asked in the moment."

The Houston Police Department confirmed that officers were responding to a call about a man threatening to shoot a woman and her children. The suspect allegedly believed his property had been stolen and began arguing with the woman at an apartment building. When police tried to apprehend him, he fled. A nearby citizen assisted by giving the officers a ride to the location, allowing them to continue their search using patrol vehicles.

The department has not yet located the suspect, whose identity remains unknown, and the investigation is ongoing.