Auto-Theft Suspect Steven Davis Steals Cop Car -- After Ditching Other Stolen Vehicle in Desert

​Steven Davis, 28, apparently is a car thief, which a 15-year veteran of the Tucson Police Department learned fairly quickly when Davis stole his police cruiser over the weekend and led cops on a 50-mile chase. That, however, was only after ditching a vehicle he'd (allegedly) previously stolen in the desert just outside of Tucson.

Tucson police say officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle in the desert near East Golf Links Road in Tucson yesterday morning.

When the officer responded to the location of the vehicle, he determined that it was stolen. The driver -- later identified as Davis -- however, had fled on foot.

Davis ran through a residential area north of where he'd ditched the stolen vehicle.

When Tucson Sergeant Kyle Robinson -- again, a 15-year veteran of the force -- was driving through the neighborhood, he spotted Davis jumping over a fence in the front yard of a home in the 4300 block of East Calle Aurora.

Robinson gave chase on foot, but was unable to catch Davis, who had managed to circle around Robinson's cruiser and find his way to the driver's seat.

As Davis attempted to put the cruiser into drive, Robinson struggled with him as the car lurched forward. The officer clung to his now-stolen cruiser as Davis attempted to flee. He fired a round at Davis, but missed. He then abandoned his police car out of fear of being dragged further.

Another officer had been dispatched to the scene and watched as Davis dragged Robinson in the officer's car. The second officer started to follow Davis as he headed north at a high rate of speed.

Davis, doing about 90 miles per hour at this point, activated the sirens on the police cruiser as he sped down Broadway Boulevard. Because of the risk to pedestrians, the officer terminated the pursuit.

Shortly after the officer called off the pursuit, Davis -- and the police cruiser -- was spotted on the I-10 heading West while driving upwards of 110 mph. The Department of Public Safety was then notified that a stolen police cruiser was flying down the I-10 and DPS officers began a pursuit.

As Davis approached Casa Grande, while driving about 120 mph, he hit spike strips that had been placed on the roadway by the DPS. With the tires on the police cruiser destroyed by the spike strips, Davis continued to drive it until he approached the Sacaton Freeway rest area near mile post 182, at which point he abandoned the cop car and tried to flee on foot.

Davis didn't get far before a DPS officer was able to get within range to zap him with a Taser. After a (ahem) little shock, Davis was taken into custody.

Davis was booked into the Pima County jail on one count each of aggravated assault on a police officer, theft of means of transportation, and felony flight from law enforcement. Additional charges are pending.