Latest fatal chase spurs call for discussion (criminal jumps off bridge after car chase)

The Daily Oklahoman ^ | 12/14/05 | Bryan Dean & Jesse Olivarez

[T-Bird45]

A broken tail light. A police pursuit. Another death. Less than 24 hours after a Monday morning chase by Oklahoma City police turned fatal, another chase ended with one of the men in the car jumping from a bridge at the Fort Smith junction of Interstates 35 and 40. Donny R. Tannehill, 31, died early Tuesday, according to the Oklahoma County Sheriff's Department.

[T-Bird45]

Sorry for excerpt/registration site but wanted to post because of how ridiculous this policy review is and the miracle of the police K9 involved - the story and sidebar about the dog are worth a click to bugmenot.com.

Anyway, this latest Darwin award douchebag jumped from a bridge with a sheriff's department K9 in close pursuit and the dog followed his training by continuing the pursuit over the guardrail. Amazingly, the dog is OK but I can't imagine being the handler watching that scene.

How can any pursuit policy realistically take into account the possibility that a douchebag in a drug-induced haze will jump off a 100-foot high bridge to avoid capture?

[rednek]

The OKC PD is out of control and has been for several years. The part of town I live in might as well be unprotected due to the 15 -20 minute response time out here. We have always jokd in my neighborhood that the only way to get a cop to us in a hurry was tell 911 that shots were fired. We suspect the entire OCPD would be onsite in under 2 minutes. These guys live for a gunfight or high speed chase.

I could care less if they kill themseves or the perps, but they have killed 5 people in the last 3 months, some were innocent bystanders.

regards - red

[spintreebob]

People don't kill people, Bridges kill people. At the least, all bridges should be provided with a safety net to prevent the needless deaths.

Whoever made that defective bridge without a safety net should be sued by the police for the mental anguish it is going to cause them.

[R.W.Ratikal]

Guilty people run from the police. In the old days they rode on horses to escape the sheriff. Today they use cars, planes and other vehicles to escape. I see no solution to the problem except to apply severe punishment to high speed runners when they are caught.

Several years sitting in solitary confinement thinking about the danger their chase caused might be helpful.

Or how about a sealed chip placed in every automobile that can be activated to shut off the engine. Every police car could be equipped with an electronic shut-off switch. Possible? All you techies out there get to work.

[KeepUSfree]

How about you move to a totalitarian country where the government is always right.

Sorry, I don't care how many lives would be saved or crimes would be stopped - even if it would save my mother. I'd fight that inrusion with everything I have.

I am CONSTANTLY amazed at the people around here who would give aup all liberties and give total power to the government (like they are your friend and you can trust them) - then call themselves "conservatives".

If you honestly think that the government should be allowed to do that - you should be over on the DU board - not on FR.

[PeteB570]

I'm all for pursuit.

Once the word gets out that and area has a "no pursuit" policy it will be open season on running from the law, even if you only have a parking ticket.

The solution is to charge runners with attempted murder. If anybody is killed in the pursuit, murder 1 and the death penalty. Carried out one week after the trial.

[WV Mountain Mama]

No way will I ever submit to that ridiculous measure.

They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety. --Benjamin Franklin

[T-Bird45]

Here is a video link with a follow-up interview with the handler and the vet treating the dog.

http://newsok.com/video/1704456/

[generally]

Notice the lead. "Broken tail light" They always try to make it sound like the poor guy died because of a mere broken tail light. Would any normal non-criminal person run from the police because of a tail light? No..

[2Jedismom]

Saw this on the news last night! What I heard was, the guy fell like 150 feet and the dog followed and landed on top of him!

When the car reached the Fort Smith junction, it was on the I-35 flyover when an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper forced it into a retaining wall, which ended the pursuit.

Tannehill and passenger Eric Smead, 34, of Midwest City then got out of the car.

Deputy Tracy Bartlett said an Oklahoma County sheriff's canine named Ajo was released and ran toward the car. Tannehill jumped over the guardrail, and Ajo followed close behind.

Investigators said they found traces of crack cocaine and empty beer cans in the vehicle.

Tannehill was taken to OU Medical Center, where he died Tuesday. Smead was arrested at the scene on outstanding warrants.

Whetsel said Tannehill had been in the Oklahoma County jail six times this year and 14 times since 1993 on various complaints and charges.

Dog recovering
Ajo was taken to an emergency veterinarian hospital by Oklahoma City's police helicopter and is expected to survive, authorities said.

[hayseed]

You watch now, his family will hook up some ambulance chaser and sue the city cause this scumbag had a severe phobia of dogs and thats what forced him to jump.

Talk about a dog that's into his work.

[HairOfTheDog]

Wow.... good grief! Now there's a working dog with drive!

Saw this on the news last night! What I heard was, the guy fell like 150 feet and the dog followed and landed on top of him! .... Deputy Tracy Bartlett said an Oklahoma County sheriff's canine named Ajo was released and ran toward the car. Tannehill jumped over the guardrail, and Ajo followed close behind.

Thanks for the ping 2J...

Ping!

Other articles with keyword "DOGGIEPING" since 12/29/04

[Balding_Eagle]

Or how about a sealed chip placed in every automobile that can be activated to shut off the engine.

Yeah right. Your idea is moronic.

[Balding_Eagle]

OH, I see post 5 covered it.

[Lancey Howard]

I'm with you - - "high speed runners" endanger everybody else and the penalty for "high speed running" should be severe enough that it becomes conventional wisdom that when a cop car with lights flashing shows up behind you, you friggin pull over.

I don't know about "several years in solitary confinement", though - - maybe a few days of water boarding would suffice.

[Lancey Howard]

(I crack me up.)

[U S Army EOD]

So I guess they should try and chase as many people to a bridge before they stop them.

[the OlLine Rebel]

"So I guess they should try and chase as many people to a bridge before they stop them."

It would put them out of our misery.

[pointsal]

Obvious solution....close the bridge

[porkchops 4 mahound]

Would anyone be surprised if the jumper's family now came at the PD through blaming the dog for the jumper's death?

They might claim the jumper was scared of dogs, so he jumped; or, that the dog survived the fall, by "unjustly", using the jumper as a "cushion", making his chances of survival significantly less.

I think it's CRAZY, but I wouldn't be surprised.

I'm glad the dog is OK, and sad the jumper is dead, (but he was fried, and he did jump).

Just lucky that some citizen didn't get squashed while this cluster foxtrot went down.