A high-speed police chase came to a dramatic end Wednesday in North Dallas when the driver rear-ended a family's minivan and was promptly tackled, dragged into the street and beaten by the mom at the wheel and her boyfriend.
Dallas police said that suspect Artrai Alexander, 40, had carjacked a Dodge Challenger at a convenience store in the 3000 block of Grand Avenue, near Fair Park. The victim called 911 and described the car, touching off the wild chase across the city.
Police chased the car along residential streets, parking lots and Interstate 635 until the driver tried to split between two cars at a stoplight but instead rammed into them at Walnut Hill Lane and Abrams Road.
Jessica Liesmann, who was driving the minivan the suspect hit, and her boyfriend Charles Cook got out of their van, quickly approached the suspect's vehicle and fought him to the ground before police officers arrived and arrested him.
"I saw him come behind me and hit me. I turned around and asked my son, 'Are you okay?' and he was like 'Yeah' - so I jumped out the car and was like, 'What the hell is wrong with you? You're in a school zone. What are you thinking?' He didn't say anything," Liesmann said.
“I just hope he knows better and that the whole time he's in jail thinking about what he did, from the beginning to the end," Liesmann said. "I don't know why he did it or what happened, but I hope it replays over and over and over and he feels really stupid for what he did.”
Liesmann's son T.J., 13, was also in the van and was taken by ambulance from the scene as a precaution. He was released from the hospital just before 6 p.m.
"My mom, she did put him in his place, and I'm glad that he's in jail 'cause, to be honest, when I was in the car, I thought I died," T.J. said.
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"I was just angry. I just lost my 4-year-old child on the second day of school, and to think of something else happening to one of my kids," said Liesmann, "I just can't imagine. I'm just grateful, first of all, that he's OK, and second of all, that that guy is in jail."
A handgun was recovered from the stolen Challenger, police said.
"If he had a gun, I just thank God that he didn't pull it out, 'cause I could've easily been shot and she could've easily been shot," Liesmann's boyfriend Cook said.
Dallas police said Alexander will be charged with aggravated robbery and evading arrest.
Thankful that the citizens who held the #chase suspect weren't injured by him. Would never advise you do that. #Adrenaline and #Anger — Maj. Max Geron (@MaxDPD) February 11, 2015
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NBC 5's Amanda Guerra and Ray Villeda contributed to this report.
