GSP Nighthawks Chase Carjacker in Freshly Stolen GMC Acadia

On November 10, 2021 at approximately 2355 hours GSP Nighthawks South responded to the area of
Augusta Ave in reference to a stolen vehicle. Officer Maraschiello with the
SPD advised over dispatch that a white GMC Acadia with a
was stolen by armed suspects from the Laquinta Inn on Abercorn St.
Ofc. Maraschiello further advised that the vehicle was observed in the area via traffic cameras.
While searching the area, I was traveling north on Jenks St approaching Bay St. I
observed a white SUV turning around in the parking area of Bartow Park. I radioed in that I located the stolen vehicle. I continued to follow the Acadia
north on Jenks Street while awaiting other units to perform a felony stop. I observed the Acadia fail to
obey the stop sign on Jenks Street at Bay Street as it turned east. It changed lanes into the left turn
lane quickly. The Acadia performed a U-Turn and accelerated quickly westbound on Bay Street. While
still awaiting units, the Acadia drove in both the left lane and right lane at the same time. I checked the
Acadia with the front antenna of my RADAR Unit at 62 MPH in a 35 MPH zone. As Sgt. Stone advised
he was directly behind me, I initiated a traffic stop on Bay Street near Graham Avenue. I activated my
emergency equipment and the Acadia continued to accelerate, initiating a pursuit. Sgt. Stone advised
he was secondary and would be calling the pursuit.
We continued west approaching I-516. Due to the the suspects being possibly armed, the
vehicle being stolen, the high probability of foot traffic in the urban environment, and if the suspects
escaped, the possibility of them stealing another vehicle or harming a third party, I immediately
determined the vehicle must be stopped. As the Acadia entered the left turn lane to turn south onto
Collins Street, I placed my driver's side push bumper against the passenger rear fender of the Acadia
in order to perform a Precision Immobilization Technique. As the Acadia began slowing to turn left, my
push bumper slid up the rear fender causing the P.I.T. to be unsuccessful. The Acadia turned south
onto Collins Street then quickly east onto Augusta Avenue. It drove onto the wrong side of the
roadway, then turned north onto Graham Avenue. The Acadia failed to obey a red traffic signal while
turning west onto Bay Street. As the Acadia approached Collins Street again, it continued west on Bay
Street, in the eastbound lanes. Due to a concrete median, I drove parallel to the Acadia. The Acadia
turned left onto Old W. Lathrop Avenue, then quickly back east onto Augusta Avenue. TFC Digiacomo took over the pursuit as the primary Trooper.
TFC Digiacomo advised he followed the vehicle on the wrong side of the road, turned after it,
and became the primary unit in the pursuit. The driver turned left onto Augusta Avenue and began
traveling east. The driver came to the intersection of Augusta Avenue and West Lathrop Avenue in the
left curve. The driver did not negotiate the curve. Instead he traveled over the curb, around the stop
sign, and continued straight on Augusta Avenue. The driver continued east on Augusta Avenue and
turned left onto Tulip Street. The driver continued north on Tulip Street and came up to Kenilworth
Street. The driver turned left through the stop sign onto Kenilworth Street and continued south. The
driver turned right onto Cullman Street and ran the stop sign turning left onto Graham Street. The
driver continued south to Augusta Avenue and ran the stop sign turning right onto Augusta Avenue.
The driver turned left onto the entrance ramp to I-516 eastbound. The driver made a wide left turn and
struck what appeared to be a curb. At that point, TFC Digiacomo positioned next to the vehicle on the
passenger side and attempted a P.I.T. maneuver. TFC Digiacomo struck the vehicle on the passenger
side but the technique was unsuccessful. He then pulled along side the passenger side again and
performed a successful P.I.T. maneuver. The vehicle rotated clockwise and left the roadway on the
south shoulder. The vehicle continued in motion down the embankment and struck a fence.
After TFC Digiacomo used a P.I.T. maneuver to end the pursuit, the Acadia traveled off the
roadway, down the embankment, and came to a final uncontrolled rest near the wood line against a
fence. Due to the suspects being possibly armed, the aggressive driving, and being down an
embankment where we could not see the occupants, the Troopers on scene unholstered their agency
issued firearms and approached the vehicle slowly. The driver exited the vehicle and lay on the
ground. After several times of commanding him to put his hands on his head, the driver finally
complied. Once we were able to see the passenger's hands, I holstered my Glock 45 and placed the
driver in custody. TFC Denton and I walked the driver back to my patrol car as the rest of the Troopers
placed the passenger into custody.
The driver was identified as Raheem Passmore.