ABC News(MADERA, Calif.) — A motorist led police in Madera, California, on a high-speed chase Sunday, engaging in a shoot-out while a civilian woman was inside the police cruiser as part of the city’s Citizen Police Academy.
The program was designed to develop a working relationship with the community, but this ride-along turned into a close call when an officer was forced to take action.
Police dash cam footage shows a Madera police cruiser attempting to pull over a silver Mazda early Sunday morning. Within seconds of the driver’s failure to yield to police orders, the unidentified woman’s ride-along escalated into a full pursuit.
The woman can be heard screaming as the harrowing scene unfolds in front of her. At one point, she pleads with the police officer to stop the chase.
Right after the Mazda took a turn, gunfire can be seen and heard on the dash cam video.
The firefight disabled the patrol car and the suspects exited their vehicle and took off on foot.
The officer survived the incident, as did the civilian, who suffered minor cuts from broken glass.
Photos of the aftermath reveal the patrol car’s shattered windows and a gun found in the Mazda. The suspects are still on the loose, according to police.
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.