AURORA, Colo. — Troopers with the Colorado State Patrol on Wednesday released aircraft surveillance that showed a “dangerous eluding chase” that exceeded over 100 mph, endangering the lives of dozens of people in Aurora late last month.
The incident occurred on Aug. 22 at approximately 7:31 p.m. after officers with the Aurora Police Department received an automated license plate reader alert for a Cadillac Escalade reported stolen from Denver, according to a news release from the CSP. Officers found the vehicle a short time later and tried to stop it near East Colfax Avenue.
Watch the full video of the chase from the sky in the video below:
The driver somehow managed to avoid stop sticks, made a U-turn through a grassy median, and drove northbound in the southbound lanes, creating what CPS described as a serious danger to other motorists. Troopers later saw the Cadillac entering westbound Interstate 70, where the stolen vehicle reportedly reached speeds exceeding 100 mph, according to the news release.
“Because of the driver’s increasingly dangerous actions, Aurora Police terminated the ground pursuit,” a spokesperson for the CSP said. “Colorado State Patrol’s aircraft responded and maintained visual contact with the Cadillac from above, allowing ground units to disengage while the vehicle continued to be monitored.”
Troopers in the sky followed the Cadillac to the area of West 48th Avenue and Pecos Street in Denver, where they saw the driver and passenger leave the vehicle and begin walking through a nearby parking lot. Colorado State Patrol troopers on the ground responded to the area and safely detained both occupants, the spokesperson said.
The driver was later identified by Aurora police as 28-year-old Thomas Martinez.
Martinez was arrested on suspicion of second-degree motor vehicle theft and vehicular eluding. Officers also took the passenger into custody on multiple outstanding warrants.
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