[TXSurfer]

Big news here in Victoria TX LoL, Sheriff really ragged on BMW performance on the news.



Odd details emerged a day after a high-speed chase led law enforcement toward a potential disaster in Refugio.

Molly Delapaz, a 35-year-old Houston woman, began her strange trip on Wednesday afternoon. She visited Houston's Advantage BMW to test drive a used car. Salespeople didn't know she had no plans to return.

After an hour, salespeople contacted their parent company and then law enforcement. Together, they tracked the woman, via the car's onboard global positioning satellite system, to Jackson County.

Victoria County dispatchers were on the phone with BMW the moment Delapaz crossed the county's line.

"A pretty awesome little trip she took," said Sheriff T. Michael O'Connor. "Her mistake was that she came through Victoria County."

In Inez, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper tried to pull over Delapaz, but she fled. The trooper called for help to catch the woman, who was allegedly drunk and traveling up to 140 mph.

O'Connor dispatched two black, powerful Dodge Chargers. Deputies caught up to the woman near Fleming Prairie Road at U.S. Highway 77 South.

"I wonder what she was thinking when she looked in the rearview mirror and saw those two cars. Our cars seem to be quite competitive with our German competitor," O'Connor said. "You can run, but you can't hide."

Instead of slowing in the 2007 BMW Model 3, Delapaz hit the gas. Ahead at the Copano Creek Bridge, troopers and other law enforcement set the first of two spike strips 10 miles north of Refugio.

By this time, officers from two counties, as well as state troopers and a game warden, joined in the chase.

"Our biggest concern was that we'd all have to yield because of the danger of going into Refugio at that hour," O'Connor said. "It was about 5 p.m. People were going home, getting off work."

Law enforcement didn't have much time to react.

"Normally, it takes you 40 minutes to go from Victoria to Refugio," said Trooper Gerald Bryant. "She was going to make it in 20."

Refugio County deputies and a trooper set the spikes on the south side of Copano Creek Bridge. Refugio Sgt. Gary Wright watched Delapaz drive over the spikes and keep going. She drove so fast that video trained on the spikes captured a flash and little else, Wright said.

Less than a half-mile from Refugio, Delapaz's deflated tires caused her to spin and stop on the highway's center strip median.

Officers charged the woman with driving while intoxicated, a second offense, as well as felony evading arrest and felony property theft. She is in the Refugio County Jail.

Victoria County Sgt. Roy Compean drove the lead car during the pursuit.

"It's a big adrenaline rush. It's nerve-wracking," Compean said. "You worry about your safety, the safety of the public and the person you're trying to apprehend. Luckily, no one was hurt."

Other sheriff's office staff teased Compean a day after the chase. They called him, "Speed Racer." O'Connor also joked.

"A $22,000 Dodge not only caught up with but probably could have passed an expensive German vehicle," the sheriff said, laughing. "I wonder how much BMW will pay to keep this quiet."

Mike Calhoun, the general sales manager for Advantage BMW in Houston, wouldn't comment on this friendly competition. He did discuss Delapaz.

"Well, first of all the woman was really foolish," Calhoun said. "She left her driver's license here. I've been doing this for 27 years, so I've seen drive-offs a few times. The fact that this time it was a woman surprised me."

[immiketoo]

That's just stupid. On so many levels. Of course a big engined HP car has more power than a small engined car. To think that that guy thinks BMW gives a rats ass about a Dodge magnum.... Dodge will be bankrupt in a few months and no LESS competition than they are now.

[scheherazade]

Doesn't help that she was hitting the electronic limiter.

While a police spec magnum won't have to worry about that.

-scheherazade

[dr.jay]

She should have took them through some twisty roads, those shitboxes would have been in a ditch

[UltimateBMW]

I particularly enjoyed the fact that they gloated on being able to out drive a drunk person...

[persian54]

"The fact that this time it was a woman surprised me"

Sexist

Lol

[Synergy]

Originally Posted by TXSurfer

"A $22,000 Dodge not only caught up with but probably could have passed an expensive German vehicle," the sheriff said, laughing. "I wonder how much BMW will pay to keep this quiet."

give me a $7,000 bike and let's see him try and catch up

[Hawkeye]

"A $22,000 Dodge not only caught up with but probably could have passed an expensive German vehicle," the sheriff said, laughing. "I wonder how much BMW will pay to keep this quiet."


LOL. There is no way in HELL that the police "powerful" Dodge Chargers cost only 22K. Especially after the police force engine upgrades. Complete bullshit.

[datbimmerdoe]

[Hawkeye]

Oh, and dodge.com shows cheapest BASE V6 model starts at $25K+ while the SRT8 model (police probably use this one) is $40,600 without any options or upgrades.

$22K my ass, what an idiot.

[Garduna]

So much stupidity from the cop and the salesrep >_> Talk about having shit come out of ur mouth.....

[Spec 1]

Funny. Was tyhis woman drunk prior to taking the car? Must have been. Why else would you leave a copy of your license and then just go? She was just asking to be put in jail. Some people amaze me...

[atr_hugo]

The cops use this one - and it's pretty effective. Driving this at the Chrysler Proving Grounds in Chelsea a few years back was a lot of fun. It has a manu-matic but the manual mode is a switch on the tranny stalk (no console mounted shifter). Actually it handled very well - this is not a Crown Vic. ; -)

No way thats 22k, after the police package is pushing low 50s for a SRT8

[persian54]

do you guys realize how MANY the police order?
Also, all the sales are tax free for GM??
No way the govt is going to pay 50k for a car lol

that cop just let us know how cheap they get their cars for

Originally Posted by Synergy

give me a $7,000 bike and let's see him try and catch up

give me a used 600 for less than that and see if they can keep up lol

[m3pare]

lol fail

[lopealle]

wat an idiot to brag about catching a drunk person

[Invester]

wow too mcuh stupidity in that,

makes me wonder whos dumber

the sheriff or the women for stealing the car...

i would love to see the magnum catch the 335 with a jb3 lolll

[WILLIE92]

the cop was being sarcastic! in texas u know domestics are way more popular ! 22k police car is bullshit!

[KreditMe]

Hi,
There may have different views.But truly I liked the story.So its a woman...............right?

[TXSurfer]

Originally Posted by KreditMe

Hi,
There may have different views.But truly I liked the story.So its a woman...............right?

Yup and she was loaded, which speaks for how great handling on a BMW is if a drunk girl could out run the cops and not wreck. Took road spikes to get her to stop.

[ptack]

Wasn't that sheriff in Smokey in the Bandit? Must be his brilliant son.