OUR VIEW: Vehicle chases are trend that needs to slow down

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• Chase in Mitchell reaches 100 mph Monday morning

What is it with high-speed chases lately? In the past 18 months, local and area law-enforcement agencies have been involved in numerous high-speed pursuits.

We do not blame the police officers, sheriff’s deputies or state troopers. Obviously, there are times when these law agencies do not give chase, and we give them the benefit of the doubt that they are considering all consequences when they turn on the sirens and follow a fleeing suspect.

Perhaps we will someday question whether a chase was needed. Today, we are not.

Our disdain is for the criminals who are wantonly and carelessly endangering so many lives when they decide not to stop for police.

Early Monday morning, Mitchell police arrested Rocky Clark after a chase that reached 100 mph. He faces various charges, including DUI, eluding police, reckless driving and intentional property damage.

Other high-speed chases in Mitchell or the region happened Feb. 1, 2013, and several times in 2012, including Dec. 3, Nov. 5, Sept. 28, May 26, March 24 and Feb. 5.

The March 24 instance resulted in a young Mitchell girl’s death when the fleeing driver crashed into the vehicle in which she was a passenger.

It’s a miracle others haven’t been hurt by these acts of sheer stupidity and disobedience.

The Daily Republic has received complaints about coverage in at least two of these chases.

Some subscriptions and advertisers were lost.

We have no regrets whatsoever, and will continue to publicize the names of people who elude police and endanger the lives of innocent bystanders in the process.

And meanwhile, we continue to hope and literally pray that the rate of high-speed chases will subside before someone else dies a victim to this terrible trend.

Tags: opinion, updates, editorials, police, crime