High speed chase through residential streets caught on camera

A speeding driver led police on a wild chase through several residential neighborhoods.  It happened during rush hour on Thursday, and the pulse-pounding chase was caught on video.

Ferndale police fell in line behind a speeding Pontiac on Eight Mile.  At first the driver nonchalantly ignored a loud speaker command to pull over, then casually made a Michigan left and ignored another command.

Finally, two minutes into the dash cam video, the driver stopped, baited the officer into getting out of his cruiser, then suddenly put the car into gear and took off.

"Luckily it was cold and there were not too many pedestrians around," said Lieutenant William Wilson.

For the next two minutes police gave chase up and down side streets.

"He was going at speeds of a good 70 miles an hour through residential neighborhoods," Wilson explained.

The car is not even visible on camera, and finally the driver hit a dead end.  It was time to pin him in before he could escape on foot.

"Had an open beer with him in the car," Wilson said.

The officer, weapon drawn, barked commands at a man identified later as Joe Louis Taylor to place his hands on the hood.  It was an intense moment.  Taylor had no choice but to comply, and seconds later he was wrestled into cuffs.

"He's currently out on parole for different convictions including armed robbery, and apparently he did not want to be violated and go back to prison for minor offenses.  So he made the wrong choice and fled, and now it starts with a five year felony of fleeing and eluding," said Wilson.