Image via State Boyzzz/YouTube
Armed with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is no pushover. Sure, it’s not nearly as potent as the Trackhawk, but as these suspects in a stolen SRT show it can hold its own in a police chase.
Did Florida Highway Patrol screw up this PIT maneuver?
The pursuit, which happened in Grand Rapids, Michigan was initiated by a Michigan State Police unit which spotted the stolen SUV. The driver thought he could PIT the Jeep out early in the chase, but the superior power and acceleration of the suspect vehicle made sure he couldn’t.
But it’s not like the suspect driver is highly skilled. The guy is all over the place, clearly unable to fully handle the power of the vehicle. Still, he’s able to start gapping the troopers big time once he gets going straight.
When the SUV reaches a T-intersection and has to turn, the suspect driver obviously sucks at negotiating apexes and the troopers close the gap again. That’s when we see the people in the Jeep use an unusual tactic, throwing all kinds of garbage at the cop car.
That doesn’t really do much of anything but it sure is amusing to see. Criminals, not known for their high intellect, sometimes do silly things.
Partway through the chase, you hear the trooper behind the wheel suddenly exclaim, “I hate this PIT policy!” Yeah, we think the policies for MSP and so many other law enforcement agencies are ridiculous, but the people who write the rules think going soft on fleeing criminals is nice.
Still, the troopers do a good job of making sure intersections with red lights and stop signs are clear before going through.
All that effort is for nothing as the MSP cruiser’s engine blows under all that load, or so the driving trooper says. The cruiser ambles along until the Jeep disappears from view. After stopping for a bit, the trooper is able to get the car going again just as other units spot the Jeep and the chase is on again.
But by the time cops arrive the suspects have split on foot. At least the SRT has been recovered, hopefully in good condition.
Image via State Boyzzz/YouTube
