News
March-02-2026 Stop Stick News: The Science of the Stop: How Law Enforcement Safely Ends Dangerous Pursuits
March 2, 2026
By: Zach Madden
Category: Customer Stories, Stop Stick News
The Science of the Stop: How Law Enforcement Safely Ends Dangerous Pursuits
With over 500,000 vehicles equipped across the U.S. and worldwide, and with over 50,000 documented pursuits ended successfully and safely, Stop Stick® is law enforcement’s most trusted brand. Therefore, keep reading for more Stop Stick News: The Science of the Stop: How Law Enforcement Safely Ends Dangerous Pursuits
We are committed to serving those who serve us by providing training and proven safe, simple-to-use, and effective tools. Now, let’s dive into the March Stop Stick News
03/02/2026
1. The Science of the Stop: 13-year-old girl thought kidnapped conspired to steal family car in Gresham – Oregon
KPTV by FOX 12 Staff
GRESHAM Ore. (KPTV) – Three teenagers and a man were arrested after allegedly working together to steal the car of a family member, leading to a police chase on Interstate 84 on Saturday, according to police.
Just before 6 p.m., officers were sent to the Gresham Sky Zone Trampoline Park near Northeast Stark Street and Northeast Hogan Drive, after the report of a car being stolen with a 13-year-old granddaughter trapped inside.
Arriving officers tried to stop the car, but the driver allegedly sped away, driving toward Portland on I-84.
With the possibility of a kidnapping in process, officers with the Portland Police Bureau, Gresham Police Department and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, along with a police drone, chased the car into Portland.
Eventually, officers stopped the car using spike strips and boxed it in with their own SUVs, according to police.
Four people were arrested – a man whose name has not yet been released by police, along with two teenage boys and the 13-year-old girl, who police determined had not actually been kidnapped, they said.
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Highway Patrol recently announced that a driver has been arrested and charged with a number of felonies.
A social media post from the WHP states that shortly before 8:15 a.m. Saturday, a trooper near mile post 173 traveling east on Interstate 80 attempted to stop a Honda Civic for speeding.
According to the post, the driver refused to stop, initiating a pursuit. The pursuit continued east, reaching speeds of 130 mph. At milepost 207, troopers successfully deployed spike strips to deflate the Honda’s tires.
The pursuit stopped near milepost 210, and the driver was taken into custody without further incident.
Additionally, a juvenile female was located in the vehicle as a passenger. She was taken into protective custody and is now with the Wyoming Department of Family Services.
“Upon searching the vehicle, troopers found a large amount of drugs including fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and other drug paraphernalia,” the post states.
02/28/2026
3. The Science of the Stop: Genoa man arrested for bank robbery after 110 mph chase in Ottawa Co. – Ohio
Fremont News Messenger by Roger LaPointe
A high-speed bank robbery pursuit in Ottawa County ended safely on February 27, thanks to a “collaborative team effort” and the strategic use of spike strips.
The chaos began around 3:10 p.m. when Steven Kozak, 44, allegedly robbed the Genoa Bank in Allen Township. After fleeing the scene, Kozak was spotted by deputies traveling over 90 mph. When law enforcement attempted a stop, Kozak led five agencies on a dangerous chase through Clay Township and the Village of Genoa, striking two vehicles and ramming a police cruiser.
As the pursuit reached terrifying speeds of 110 mph near the Village of Elmore, officers deployed spike strips to regain control of the situation.
“An Elmore police officer used spike strips to puncture two tires on the suspect’s vehicle,” officials confirmed, effectively neutralizing the threat.
Sheriff’s Office Captain of Operations Aaron Leist credited the tools and teamwork for the resolution, stating, “We believe we had the safest outcome possible.” Kozak was arrested and faces multiple charges, including aggravated robbery and failure to comply. Despite the high speeds and collisions, no injuries were reported—a testament to the effectiveness of tire deflation technology in ending high-stakes pursuits.
02/27/2026
4. The Science of the Stop: Suspect vehicle stopped on Interstate 29 following high-speed chase – Iowa
KTIV by KTIV Staff
https://www.ktiv.com/2026/02/28/suspect-vehicle-stopped-interstate-29-following-high-speed-chase/
SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – A high-speed chase took place Friday, Feb. 27, through several northwest Iowa counties.
The chase ended after authorities used stop sticks to puncture the tires of the car. The pursuit ended in the northbound lanes of Interstate 29 between the Highway 20 bypass and the Floyd Boulevard exit.
02/26/2026
5. The Science of the Stop: Kansas City man charged after stealing bus, running from police – Missouri
FOX 4 KC by Alyssa Miller
https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-city-man-charged-after-stealing-bus-running-from-police/
A Kansas City man faces multiple felony charges after he allegedly stole a Greyhound bus and led police on a high-speed chase through the city on February 24, 2026.
Prosecutors charged Preston R. Reiff with stealing, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, and first-degree property damage. According to court documents, Reiff commandeered the $600,000 bus from a Greyhound station, ramming through an automatic gate and destroying a station sign as he fled the lot. The initial escape caused an estimated $55,000 in property damage.
Greyhound dispatchers tracked the bus via GPS as Reiff headed northbound on I-29. When Kansas City police caught up to the vehicle near Northwest 56th Street and attempted a traffic stop, Reiff refused to pull over, sparking a pursuit.
Authorities ended the chase near Tiffany Springs Parkway by deploying Stop Sticks, which successfully deflated the bus’s front tires. The flattened tires forced Reiff to pull over, where officers safely took him into custody. Although investigators conducted field sobriety tests, they determined Reiff was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the incident.
https://www.wmtw.com/article/alabama-woman-arrested-maine-pursuit-spike-strips/70504636
On Tuesday evening, March 2, 2026, Maine State Police arrested an Alabama woman following a high-speed pursuit on the Maine Turnpike.
The Augusta Regional Communications Center received numerous traffic complaints just before 5:40 p.m. regarding a red SUV. Witnesses reported the vehicle traveling at high speeds and weaving dangerously through traffic on I-95 in the Auburn area. While the SUV initially evaded several troopers, one officer eventually located the vehicle near mile marker 83 in Lewiston.
When the driver, 51-year-old Carla Williams, refused to stop, a pursuit ensued. Troopers successfully deployed spike strips near mile marker 68 in New Gloucester, puncturing the SUV’s tires. The vehicle quickly deflated and came to a halt before reaching the southbound toll plaza.
Police charged Williams with driving to endanger and failing to stop for a law enforcement officer.
02/25/2025
7. The Science of the Stop: Ocala driver flees on I-75 through several counties before Jeep disabled by stop sticks – Florida
Ocala-News by Staff Report
A 38-year-old DeKalb woman, Kara L. Hale, now faces multiple charges including aggravated fleeing, reckless driving, and several other offenses following a chaotic series of events on Tuesday.
Initially, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office received reports of a woman jumping out of her car to yell at passing motorists in Kingston. Although deputies searched the area, they could not immediately locate the suspect. Shortly thereafter, more calls flooded in reporting road-rage incidents near Peace Road and Fairview Drive.
Later that day, deputies finally spotted the vehicle performing burnouts near Gurler Road and South Fourth Street. When officers attempted to intervene, Hale led them on a short high-speed chase. However, the Sheriff’s Office quickly terminated the pursuit to ensure public safety.
The situation escalated again when police spotted the vehicle near Sycamore High School. As Hale fled for a second time, officers strategically deployed spike strips. Successfully, the strips struck one of the tires, eventually forcing the vehicle to a halt and leading to a final foot pursuit where deputies apprehended Hale.
02/25/2025
8. The Science of the Stop: Driver Arrested After Fleeing DUI Checkpoint In San Diego – California
Patch by Kristina Houck
https://patch.com/california/san-diego/driver-arrested-after-fleeing-dui-checkpoint-san-diego
SAN DIEGO, CA — A DUI and driver’s license checkpoint in San Diego resulted in 11 arrests, including one driver who led officers on a pursuit after failing to stop, authorities said.
The checkpoint, conducted in coordination with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office and the California Highway Patrol, took place between 10 p.m. Saturday and 2 a.m. Sunday at 2400 Grand Ave. in the Pacific Beach neighborhood, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Out of 1,442 vehicles that passed through the checkpoint, 775 vehicles were screened, according to the San Diego Police Department. Police evaluated 17 drivers, arresting 10 on suspicion of alcohol-related DUI and one on suspicion of drug-related DUI.
One driver failed to stop at the checkpoint. Officers deployed spike strips and pursued the vehicle before taking the driver into custody. The suspect was booked into jail on suspicion of DUI, failure to yield and possession of a controlled substance, police said.
02/25/2025
9. The Science of the Stop: Three Arrested in Attempted Murder Case Following Pursuit – Oregon
Portland.gov
On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 11:12 p.m., Portland Police officers from the East Precinct responded to reports of shots fired near Rocky Butte. When officers spotted a vehicle fleeing the scene, they attempted a traffic stop. The driver immediately sped away recklessly, sparking a high-speed pursuit.
The suspect endangered the public by weaving through turn lanes to pass slower traffic and blowing through red lights.
To end the threat, officers from the K9, Traffic, and Transit Police divisions converged to assist. Officers successfully deployed spike strips, puncturing at least one of the suspect’s tires and disabling the vehicle
02/25/2025
10. The Science of the Stop: Deputies Arrest Juvenile After Vehicle Pursuit – Indiana
Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office
https://vanderburghsheriff.org/deputies-arrest-juvenile-after-vehicle-pursuit/
On February 25, 2026, at approximately 11:30 p.m., deputies with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a gray Toyota Camry after observing multiple traffic violations near the intersection of First Avenue and Mill Road.
The vehicle failed to stop and continued southbound, disregarding multiple traffic control devices. The driver proceeded through several intersections before traveling west on SR 66. While on SR 66, the vehicle reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour; however, traffic in the area was minimal at the time. The driver later traveled onto University Parkway before turning around and traveling back east on SR 66.
Stop sticks were successfully deployed near Detroy Road. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle began to lose a tire.