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VIDEO: Suspect in custody after dangerous chase through south Charlotte

By Stephanie Tinoco
By Stephanie Tinoco

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department helicopter was following a vehicle as it drove erratically through rush hour traffic Friday.

[IMAGES: Police helicopter follows vehicle through south Charlotte]

Chopper 9 Skyzoom was overhead as the vehicle weaved in and out of traffic on Interstate 77 in south Charlotte.

The driver turned onto Nations Ford Road, at times driving on the wrong side of the road.

At one point, the driver stopped and let out a passenger.

The driver rear-ended three vehicles at the intersection of South Boulevard and Sharon Lakes Road.

Marie Clesca was in one of those vehicles with her daughter and two grandchildren.

"It sounded like it was an explosion," Clesca said.

Clesca said the driver had no regard for anyone's life.

“It's scary, but you know we could have died, you know?" she said.

After the crash, the driver of the fleeing vehicle took off running on foot.

He jumped a fence into someone's yard, but two dogs scared him. He then jumped back over the fence onto the sidewalk.

Moments later, Chopper 9 Skyzoom captured the moment the suspect put his hands in the air and officers took him to the ground and handcuffed him.

Clesca said she's thankful one of the suspects was caught and no one else was injured.

"I feel grateful for them that they're OK," she said.

Police haven't released any information about why they were following the vehicle.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

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