A heart-pounding police pursuit lit up the streets of Montrose Saturday night after a stolen pickup truck refused to pull over, ending only when OnStar remotely killed the engine in a move straight out of a movie.
Viewer Donovan Nixon captured the entire chase on his phone from just feet away, showing flashing lights, screeching tires, and the moment the truck suddenly rolled to a stop.
How the Chase Unfolded
Montrose Police received a report of a stolen truck just before 8 p.m. Officers quickly spotted the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop.
Instead of stopping, the driver took off, leading police on a chase through city streets. Dashcam and viewer footage show the truck blowing through stop signs and weaving around traffic at high speed.
The pursuit lasted only minutes, but those minutes were intense.
OnStar Steps In and Ends the Drama
What happened next stunned everyone watching.
Montrose Police confirmed they contacted OnStar, and the company remotely disabled the truck by cutting power to the engine. The pickup slowed and rolled to a stop on a residential street, ending the chase without a crash.
“The vehicle just died. Lights went out, it coasted, and that was it,” said Public Information Officer Chad Smith. “OnStar is a game-changer in situations like this.”
This is one of the first publicly confirmed cases in western Colorado where OnStar’s stolen vehicle slowdown feature was used in real time during an active pursuit.
Driver Taken Into Custody, Name Not Released Yet
Officers moved in immediately and took the driver into custody without further incident.
As of Sunday morning, Montrose Police have not released the suspect’s name, age, or any charges. Sources close to the investigation tell us the truck was reported stolen earlier that same day from a home in the south part of town.
The suspect is expected to face charges including felony eluding, possession of stolen property, and reckless driving.
Community Reaction: Shock and Relief
Residents who watched the chase unfold from their front porches took to social media Saturday night.
“I’ve lived here 15 years and never seen anything like it,” posted one neighbor on the Montrose Community Facebook page. “Thank God nobody got hurt.”
Another resident wrote, “That OnStar thing is wild. Criminals can’t even run anymore.”
The video shared by Donovan Nixon has already been viewed more than 40,000 times across platforms, with many calling it “the craziest thing I’ve seen in Montrose.”
This incident comes just weeks after Montrose Police added new pursuit policies that encourage officers to use technology like OnStar and license plate readers to end chases safely instead of high-speed racing.
Saturday night proved those tools work.
Police say the quick resolution likely prevented injuries or a major crash, especially since the chase passed through neighborhoods where kids play in the streets.
The investigation remains active. Charges are pending lab results and witness statements.
We will update this story the moment the suspect is identified and booked into the Montrose County Jail.
What do you think about OnStar shutting down stolen vehicles during chases? Does it go too far, or is it the future of policing? Drop your thoughts below and share this story with #MontroseChase if you’re talking about it on X or Instagram tonight.
