A Euclid police pursuit came to an end when the Richmond Heights driver drove off the edge of his driveway and down a 300-foot ravine.
The driver was identified as 32-year-old Jamil Ali and family members told News 5 that he walked away from the incident unharmed.
According to Euclid police, the Ali was “driving very erratically and suspected of OMVI.” The officer pulled behind the suspect vehicle and activated the police lights and siren. Ali refused to stop and instead, continued a short distance at a slow speed and into his own driveway.
The car then went into the ravine behind the house and Ali fled the scene. Police said he was captured a short time later.
Ali’s father told News 5 that his son was not driving erratically and he drove into the ravine because his brakes were out.
Unfortunately, dash camera video of the incident to help clarify the matter is not available. Euclid police blame equipment issues.
“Most of our cruisers have dash cameras. They automatically come on when the overhead lights and siren are activated. They can also be activated manually without the lights and siren in operation. However, some of the equipment is broken,” explained Lt. Mitch Houser. “That is the case with the cruiser that was involved in this incident.”
Dash camera video has not been available for several recent incidents involving Euclid police. There was no video of the chase that led ended moments before a hit and run accident that killed a pedestrianon Feb. 3.
Dash and body camera video captured only the moments immediately after the fatal officer-involved shooting of a driveron March 13.
News 5 reached out to that the City of Euclid to ask about the broken equipment issue but as of Thursday evening did not receive a response.
