Police Gadget Tears Chevy’s Rear Axle Completely Off During Wild Pursuit | Carscoops
The driver attempted to free the grappler device by speeding away, but ended up leaving his axle behind.
21 hours ago
by Chris Chilton
A stolen vehicle lost its entire rear axle while trying to evade the police.
Law enforcement had utilized a grappler device designed to encircle the rear wheels.
The driver reversed and then surged forward, demolishing the Chevrolet sedan.
Grapplers are intended to offer a safer, more controlled, and less destructive method for ending a pursuit compared to using a PIT maneuver that can send a fleeing driver crashing into a barrier.
However, as one Chevy sedan unfortunately discovered, grappler deployments can still be quite dramatic, as evidenced by the complete removal of the rear axle assembly from the vehicle.
Related: Teen Flees Police In Corvette Z06 At 142 MPH And Learns About Grapplers
The pursuit began when Michigan State Police observed a reportedly stolen second-generation Cruze in the early hours of the morning in Detroit. Instead of stopping, the 27-year-old driver from Brighton merged onto westbound I-96 in an attempt to outrun the troopers. MSP called in Livonia police, which had recently integrated a new tool into its patrol fleet: a grappler.
What Happens When It Hooks?
For those unfamiliar, a grappler is a mechanical arm that carries a heavy-duty net folded beneath the front bumper of a police cruiser. When officers get close enough, they deploy the net under the rear of the suspect vehicle. It secures around the tires and axle, tethering the car to the police vehicle, similar to how a cowboy lassos a runaway horse.
This method helps prevent spin-outs and collisions that might occur during a PIT maneuver and usually allows police to safely bring the pursuit to an end with minimal disruption. Usually, that is.
The Livonia officer in this instance successfully deployed the grappler, catching the Cruze’s rear tires. At that moment, the typical protocol for suspects is to surrender. However, this driver opted to press harder on the accelerator and attempt to escape the cruiser.
After two attempts, he reversed the Cruze toward the police car to gain momentum in hopes of breaking free. While a significant portion of the Chevy did break loose, the entire rear axle, along with the wheels and brakes, chose to remain with the authorities.
A Costly Attempt to Escape
Since the Cruze is front-wheel drive, it might have been able to continue moving forward slowly, dragging its back end like an aging dog, but the video ends before we see if the driver tried that.
No injuries were reported, according to FOX 2 Detroit, though the Cruze is unlikely to operate under its own power again. Police stated that the driver faces charges for possession of the stolen vehicle, along with an outstanding probation violation. Additionally, the passengers had warrants from other jurisdictions.
Meanwhile, the grappler received commendation and possibly a new net after showcasing one of its most dramatic displays of stopping power yet.
Photo MSP
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Police Gadget Tears Chevy’s Rear Axle Completely Off During Wild Pursuit | Carscoops
The driver attempted to pull the grappler device loose by speeding off, but he ended up leaving his axle behind.
