“It’s a system that we install on our police vehicles and it deploys a projectile off the front of the vehicle by using an air compression system,” he said. “That projectile adheres to the rear of any vehicle that we are wishing to track.”
Police can then use GPS to track the vehicle’s location.
The projectile has a range of about 20 feet. Parish said it doesn’t launch at a high velocity, so police cruisers have to be within a certain range for the projectile to adhere to the vehicle.
A police sergeant used the system Tuesday after they attempted to stop a white Ford Escape traveling east on Main Street near Vance Road around 4:07 p.m.
The SUV was reported stolen out of Fairborn, Parish said.
A pursuit lasted for about a minute and 30 seconds before the sergeant stopped due to the driver’s high speeds and reckless driving.
The sergeant deployed the tracking device, which attached to the back of the Ford, before ending the chase.
The device allowed police to continue tracking the SUV’s location. About 27 minutes later, the Ford came to an abrupt stop near North Snyder and Little Richmond roads in Trotwood, according to police.
A Montgomery County sheriff’s detective in the area responded and found the SUV had been in a crash with another vehicle.
Moraine police responded to assist crews on the scene. While responding they learned one person fled from the Ford and was being held at gunpoint by the detective, Parish said.
The stolen Ford was occupied by multiple teenagers, according to police. All were taken to the hospital, including one who was transported via CareFlight.
A person in the other vehicle was also taken to the hospital for treatment. At least two of the teenagers taken to the hospital were released and taken into custody, Parish said.
The total number of people involved was not clear, but there were at least three teenagers in the Ford, including two juveniles and one 18-year-old.
The exact number of injuries and their severities are not known.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating the crash and Moraine police are handling parts of the criminal investigation.
Initial reports indicate the SUV failed to yield to traffic at a stop sign.
Moraine police have had multiple success stories using StarChase since implementing the program, Parish said.
“We’ve seen it reduce our pursuit miles and minutes and hours drastically just in the short time we’ve used it,” he said.
The projectile does make a noise when it adheres to the vehicle, which in some cases has gotten people to pull over an stop.
“It is an attention-getter in its own right as well as providing us with location information, allowing our officers to disengage and cut lights and sirens,” Parish said.
The projectiles can be used once. Police recover them from the vehicles and then send them back to the company who supplies the department with more projectiles.
Officers can fire up to two at a time.
Parish said Franklin police have also implemented StarChase and other area law enforcement agencies are testing it or considering the program.
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