Police Chase Turns Into Medical Emergency

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

HARRAH, Oklahoma -- A dramatic police chase ends with a surprise for a Harrah police officer who found himself to be the right man in the right place.

It all started with a concerned citizen who called 911 after she saw an erratic driver swerving all over the place, hitting other cars, running through stop signs and running through red lights.

Harrah police were able to stop the vehicle near Southeast 89th Street and Harrah Road. Inside the station wagon was an elderly lady who was having medical problems. The officer who forced the woman off the road is a former paramedic and knew right away she needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

"We're extremely fortunate both that he was a paramedic and a veteran officer, and he didn't blow this out of proportion. He saw it for what it was. He accurately described it the entire time and didn't let it get out of hand," said Harrah Police Officer Phil Stewart.

Police said they are also giving credit to the lady who called 911 to report the driver's behavior. In all, the woman hit three cars and ran 12 others off the road. No injuries were reported.

The incident is under investigation but criminal charges are not expected.

Police said the driver left the VA Hospital after having blood work done.

Officers plan to check with the hospital to find out what condition she was in after she left the hospital.