Suspect in stolen vehicle leads DPS, Phoenix police on chase north of Valley

PHOENIX - A nearly-20-mile chase came to an end north of the Valley after the driver of a stolen vehicle crashed into a wash and surrendered to authorities.

Air15 video showed the yellow Honda Civic traveling at high speeds northbound on Interstate 17 near Black Canyon City around 4:20 p.m. Wednesday.

Video footage showed multiple Department of Public Safety units following the driver as the vehicle weaved between lanes and passed cars along the shoulder of the freeway.

After exiting onto Bumblebee Road north of Black Canyon City, the driver veered into a wash area alongside the dirt road where the vehicle stopped.

Air15 video showed the male driver attempting to flee before falling into a shrub and being surrounded by armed officers.

Phoenix police Sgt. Steve Martos said the driver and two passengers, a male and female, were taken into custody.

They were identified on Thursday as 22-year-old Ryan Tsosie, 19-year-old Shane Johnson and a 17-year-old female.

According to Holmes, the pursuit initiated just before 4 p.m. near 7th Avenue and Hatcher after police ran the vehicle license plates and discovered it had been stolen in Tempe on Tuesday.

Richard Leistner, whose car the suspects stole, told ABC15  "The maintenance man I had talked to about my car came running over to my house and said 'I think your car is on the news!'"

"I kept looking really hard at the TV to make sure it was my car. It was kind of unbelievable!" said Leistner.

The driver fled as police attempted a traffic stop, driving onto I-17 at Peoria Avenue and continuing northbound for nearly 20 miles before crashing the car in a rural desert area.

Tsosie, who police say was the driver, faces charges of auto theft, felony flight, five counts of aggravated assault and numerous felony warrants.

Johnson and the female each face a charge of auto theft.