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The incident began just before 2 a.m. when a Harker Heights police officer attempted to pull over a black Dodge Charger for a traffic violation near East Arlo Road and South Amy Lane. The driver refused to stop and sped away from the scene.
Police ended the chase due to the high speed of the fleeing vehicle, but the suspect later crashed into a utility pole at the corner of Bonnie Drive and West Arlo Road. The car caught fire, and flames spread to a nearby duplex.
"It was late, so it sounded like all I heard was a big crash, so I thought it was thunder," said Alexander Owusu, who lives near the crash site.
Owusu described looking outside his home after hearing the crash.
"I ended up looking out my front blind and it was like real smoky out here," Owusu said.
The driver ran away from the scene on foot after the crash, according to police. Other occupants of the vehicle remained at the scene and sustained minor injuries.
"I couldn't even tell what kind of car it was, not even before the flames got big, you know. It was pretty bad," Owusu said.
Fire department and emergency crews responded to the scene and cleared the area after several hours. The Red Cross is now assisting the three adults who lost their home in the fire.
"It was terrible. Everybody was out, happy nobody got hurt," Owusu said. "That's pretty close, you know what I mean? One wrong turn and it could have ended up over here, you know."
Harker Heights police continue to investigate the crash. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at 254-953-5400.
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