OKLAHOMA CITY – Monday night, we are getting a new look at a wild chase we first brought you as breaking news last week – a truck of people running from police with sparks flying.
Monday night, we’re taking you in the cockpit of the police chopper and also showing you what officers on the ground saw during the chase.
“Incredible chase down I-240 because the suspect lost a wheel, driving on the rims, sparks flying everywhere, looked like the 4th of July, sparklers going down the road,” said Kevin Ogle last week.
Air Comfort Solutions Chopper 4 was the only news helicopter over the wild police chase.
“Yeah, guys, right now, we’re showing you the police chase right here. It’s pretty much been going on for about the last 15 minutes,” said News 4 pilot Jon Welsh.
On Monday, Oklahoma City police released video from its chopper and body cam video from officers.
The chase kicked into high gear last Wednesday. Police got a call of a stolen pickup in the areas of Northwest 22nd and Woodward.
An officer spotted the pickup and went to conduct a traffic stop. That’s when police said Jeremy Bartlett stepped on the gas.
At one point, Bartlett had no plans of slowing down. Not even a missing tire was going to make him stop.
“We got sparks, so he’s on rims,” said the police Air One chopper pilot.
The sparks from the rim lit up the interstate as the suspect raced down I-240.
“He’s pulled over on the side of the road. Looks like he may be getting ready to bail out,” the pilot is heard saying.
Three people were inside the stolen truck.
Bartlett and a female passenger surrendered to police. However, Talon Rusher took off running.
“I think he may be laying down now; yeah, he’s laying down now,” the chopper pilot said.
It was dark out, so officers on the ground had a hard time finding Rusher, but Air One spotted him using infrared technology.
Rusher was eventually caught, and all three suspects were arrested and booked in the Oklahoma County Jail.
Bartlett and Rusher face several charges including aggravated eluding a police, unauthorized use of a vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident.
The female passenger was arrested on drug charges.
