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Stepdad speaks out after suspect led police on car chase through Valley cities

Posted at 6:43 PM, Jan 02, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-02 21:18:54-05

A suspect driving a U-Haul led police on a chase through four Valley cities last week. 

Now, the suspect’s stepdad has revealed what was in that U-Haul.

Police have asked ABC15 not to reveal the 29-year-old suspect’s identity, so we won’t.

However, his stepdad told ABC15 that the suspect was helping his kids and ex-girlfriend move. Their stuff was in the back of the U-Haul truck that he eventually used to run from police.

Phoenix police ended the chase while the suspect was attempting to seal a woman’s car at Tatum Boulevard and Mockingbird Lane.

Police said an undercover sergeant opened fire and shot the suspect multiple times while he was standing at the woman’s passenger window. Video from Air15 showed six shots fired by the sergeant.

The man's stepdad said he helped raise the suspect from childhood and taught him to have a good heart. However, at some point, the stepdad dad said the suspect got hooked on prescription pain pills and is now addicted to street drugs — including heroine.

Stepdad said the suspect has stolen money from the family to feed his habit in the past, and was likely looking for cash when he robbed a gas station leading up to the chase.   

Maricopa County Superior Court records show just one arrest for the suspect – a marijuana charge when he was 20 years old. 

Right now, the suspect is in the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Police said he’ll be booked and identified officially once he’s healthy enough to leave the hospital.