In a startling incident captured on video, a Texas man managed to slip out of his handcuffs, commandeer a police cruiser, and take off down a freeway—all with an officer still in the back seat. This extraordinary escape unfolded when Stacey Huffman, 37, from Dallas, was being transported following his arrest.
Huffman had been stopped by police last month and taken into custody for driving without a valid license, possession of a controlled substance, and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the Dallas Police Department. However, the ride to jail took an unexpected turn when Huffman discreetly freed one hand from the cuffs and seized the opportunity to hijack the police vehicle.
In the gripping footage, an officer is seen trying desperately to subdue Huffman by using a taser and striking him on the head with his firearm, all in a frantic bid to regain control of the situation. Despite these efforts, Huffman managed to drive off with the officer still inside the car.
The attempted escape reached its climax when Huffman leapt from the moving vehicle, rendering himself unconscious. An officer quickly took back control of the cruiser, bringing the wild escapade to an end.
Huffman is now facing additional charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and escape from custody. He was transported to a hospital following the incident, where he is currently receiving treatment for his injuries.
The suspect, who now faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and escape from custody, was rushed to a hospital, where he remains under treatment for his injuries.
Meanwhile, his family has since revealed that they still do not know his medical condition and have been unable to see or speak with him, according to WFAA News.
‘It’s killing me because this is my child,’ his mother Suzette Huffman told the outlet.
Stacey Huffman, 37, of Dallas, briefly hijacked a police car after being arrested for driving without a valid license, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm
Dallas Police Department Major Bobbie Epperson said Huffman secretly slipped his left hand free of his cuffs
Police said Huffman managed to jump into the front seat of the police cruiser and take off
In intense video, an officer is seen tasing the suspect and striking him on the side of the head with his firearm in an effort to stop the ongoing hijacking
Cecily Vega, Huffman’s cousin, added: ‘We don’t know if he’s breathing on his own or not. If he’s responsive or not. We don’t know anything.’
The incident unfolded just after 5.30pm on May 30, when Dallas officers Ibrahim Kante and Kenneth Harper stopped Huffman in the 2300 block of South Marsalis Avenue for a registration violation, according to police.
Huffman was handcuffed and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle, where officers said he inconspicuously slipped his left hand free while keeping his arms behind his back to conceal it.
While en route to jail, body and dash camera footage captured Huffman removing his seatbelt and attempting multiple times to open the locked rear door.
Realizing something was wrong, officers stopped the car on northbound Interstate 35 near Illinois Avenue around 6.10pm, where they got out to restrain him.
It was at this point that Huffman managed to climb into the driver’s seat and take off, with Harper managing to jump into the back seat before the suspect hit the gas. The second officer was left at Illinois Avenue.
Huffman accelerated to speeds of over 50 miles per hour, driving so erratically that the officer in the back seat could be seen being thrown across the vehicle.
Harper can be seen deploying his Taser while yelling, ‘Stop the car! Stop the car! Stop the f***ing car!’
Huffman’s escape attempt came to a dramatic end when he jumped out of the vehicle and was rendered unconscious
While en route to jail, body and dash camera footage captured Huffman removing his seatbelt and attempting multiple times to open the locked rear door
Huffman was driving so erratically that the officer in the back seat could be seen being thrown across the vehicle
The Taser appeared to be ineffective, and Huffman began accelerating again before the officer struck him on the side of the head with his firearm.
Investigators said Huffman drove about 1,000 feet before jumping out of the driver’s side door of the moving patrol car, leaving him unconscious in the roadway.
Harper was able to regain control of the car and pull over, narrowly avoiding a collision.
Both Huffman and Harper were taken to the hospital, where the officer was swiftly treated and released. Huffman is still hospitalized, police said.
After the dramatic scene, Huffman’s family said the department allegedly told them they would be unable to visit him in the hospital because he is in custody, according to WFAA.
They said they spent days calling hospitals and police trying to learn more about his condition, claiming they only know he is on a ventilator and has undergone surgery.
‘I’m worried that there’ll never be that point where he is going to get better,’ his cousin Vega told the outlet, adding that they have been left in the dark about his recovery.
Family members also revealed that the newly released video footage of the brief hijacking was difficult to watch.
The officer can be seen deploying his Taser while yelling, ‘Stop the car! Stop the car! Stop the f***ing car!’
The officer was able to regain control of the car and pull over, narrowly avoiding a collision
Huffman, who remains in the hospital, now faces charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and escape from custody
Huffman’s mother acknowledged that her son has made mistakes but said she still wants answers about his health and hopes to see him soon.
‘Even with five minutes to hold your hand, I’ll get there to you,’ she said.
The case has since been turned over to the Dallas Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit and remains ongoing.
