Police chase carjacking suspect from Dallas to Denton County

DALLAS - Police and state troopers chased a carjacking suspect through the Dallas area Friday morning.

The Dallas Police Department said the chase started after a carjacking at a scrapyard located near Westmoreland Road and Interstate 30 around 9:30 a.m.

The suspect forced Norm Junge out of his landscaping pickup truck and drove away, nearly hitting him on his way out of the scrapyard.

"I come out and I see the guy in the truck trying to turn around. He jackknifes the truck," Junge recalled. "I throw my hard hat at the window. Then I started pounding on the window trying to open the door cause my dog's in there."

Mia the Maltese goes everywhere with Junge and was inside when the truck was stolen. She went on the ride of her 10-year-old life as the truck thief took off with police not far behind.

"It was just heartache because he had my dog," Junge said.

At least a half-dozen officers began followed the truck as it went north on Loop 12. The chase reached speeds of about 80 miles per hour even though the truck was pulling a trailer.

A liquid spilled from a tank on the trailer and the back wheels started smoking when the suspect reached Irving. Department of Public Safety troopers joined in the chase as it headed into Denton County.

The truck slowed down significantly along Interstate 35E after it appears a state trooper shot out its right wheels.

The suspect finally stopped on the northbound I-35E service road just before Swisher Road, which is near the Hickory Creek and Lake Dallas area. He got out of the truck with his hands in the air and was quickly taken into custody.

Mia was dangling through the window as the suspect put down the window to surrender to police. As police went in to cuff him, they got Mia and returned her safely to her thankful dad.

"I'm so happy," Junge said. "It's like words can't even describe how happy I am to have this dog back."

Junge said he's very grateful to Dallas OD for getting Mia back okay. His truck is not so okay. Its two tires were shot out by DPS troopers. Smoke could be seen streaming up from under the hood at the end of the chase. Still, he said none of that mattered as long as Mia was fine.

The suspect's name has not yet been released. He will likely face multiple charges.

No one was hurt in the chase.