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The story you're about to read is not an official report. It is merely the firsthand impression of a civilian on an Austin Police ridealong. Little did I know that before the night was over, I would be involved in a high-speed chase. My name is Cravey. I'm a candidate.
It was a Saturday in Austin. At four o'clock I parked my scooter in the lot at the police substation on Springdale. My contact was Officer Roque Martinez, nickname "Rocky." He was a rookie-less than two years on the force-and for the next six hours he was going to be my guide to the underside of the city.
First I had to go into the substation and sign a form. I did.
Rocky and I climbed into the patrol car and cruised over to Charlie sector, the East Side. Driving a taxi for Roy's in the seventies, I knew these streets and alleys like the back of my hand. I had carried groceries into every kitchen from the interstate to Pleasant Valley. And I had hauled drunks out of every one of the bars, too.
Routine calls
As we prowled, Rocky punched license plate numbers into the computer on his dash, looking for BOLOs, 'be-on-the-look-outs'.
Robin and Rocky
Our first call was to a house on Willow Street. A tattooed man, shirtless, had been reported arguing with someone. We found him, and his belligerent beer-drinking friend, on the sidewalk. Tattooed man was upset and shaky, his friend aggressive. Backup arrived. Rocky put tattooed man in an ambulance for treatment for drug reaction. Backup took belligerent friend downtown for public intoxication. Rocky and I headed to the substation, where he wrote a report and turned in evidence. It took a while.
The evening wore on. We answered a call to a fight with ten people involved, but by the time we arrived we found only a woman with high blood pressure and her rowdy friends. An ambulance arrived to treat her high blood pressure. She had a warrant, so once her treatment was done we took her downtown.
Night fell. We answered a call for illegal dumping in an alley, and listened to an elderly lady talk about her neighbors. We answered a call to a car stalled on the interstate, and gave assistance. We answered a call to a car illegally parked, but then the evening took an interesting turn.
Hot pursuit
On the radio, the dispatcher was broadcasting a pursuit. An attempted vehicle burglary had been seen at Dell Children's Hospital, and the burglars had fled in a black Ford Expedition, an officer following in an unmarked car. The Expedition was heading south on Airport, heading west on Manor, south on Stafford, west on 22nd, south on Chestnut. It seemed to be zigzagging toward us. Rocky drove north, moving to intercept.
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