A Sunday morning car chase through Amarillo ended dramatically with a crash, fire, and arrest after a suspect attempted to flee police in a stolen vehicle and allegedly tried to run over an officer during the pursuit.
At approximately 11:40 a.m., two patrol officers were near 34th Avenue and Western Street when they were alerted to a stolen vehicle reportedly in the area. After confirming with police dispatch that the car was still listed as stolen, the officers began canvassing the area.
Shortly after, they spotted the vehicle traveling northbound on Western Street at Chama. When officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver refused to comply and began evading police. Officers briefly lost sight of the vehicle near 16th Avenue and Kentucky Street but continued to search nearby streets.
During the pursuit, the suspect reportedly drove through a parking garage and, in a dangerous escalation, attempted to run over one of the responding officers who tried to intercept the car on foot. Thankfully, the officer was not injured.
The stolen vehicle was eventually located abandoned and crashed in the 1500 block of South Kentucky. The impact of the crash caused the vehicle to catch fire, prompting a response from the Amarillo Fire Department, which quickly extinguished the flames.
Meanwhile, the suspect fled on foot and ran into a nearby residence on the same block. The homeowner, realizing someone had broken in and locked themselves in an upstairs bedroom, promptly contacted police. As officers surrounded the home, the suspect tried to escape through a window but was met by law enforcement and taken into custody without further incident.
The driver was identified as 37 year old Aaron Walling. He was transported to a local hospital where a blood draw was conducted under a warrant to determine possible intoxication. After receiving medical clearance, Walling was booked into the Potter County Jail on multiple charges, including:
Evading Arrest in a Vehicle
Aggravated Assault Against a Peace Officer
Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)
Criminal Trespass of a Habitation
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