OnStar stops truck that was carjacked at gunpoint
Dumber: After OnStar halts the stolen vehicle, falling into a pool while running away from the police.
A man with a sawed-off shotgun carjacked a Chevrolet Tahoe from a parking lot in Visalia on Sunday, according to the Associated Press.
The owner of the vehicle, Jose Ruiz, 33, was reportedly sitting in his truck with a passenger when the gunman ordered them to get out and empty their pockets. The passenger initially refused, but Ruiz, knowing that the OnStar system would disable the vehicle, persuaded him to obey, and the thief drove off.
Police soon spotted the stolen truck. As they started to pursue it, though, it sped away.
But the Tahoe had General Motors' OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown feature, which enables OnStar operators to pinpoint its location using GPS technology and then remotely signal the vehicle to disable the gas pedal.
When the truck unexpectedly stopped, the driver bolted. Police told reporters that he fell into a swimming pool and was quickly caught.
This was the first time OnStar quelled a high-speed chase since the slowdown enhancement was introduced in the 2009 model year. OnStar, an option on all GM vehicles, is typically used for emergency services, vehicle diagnostics and directions.
OnStar president Walt Dorfstatter told reporters that the car was stopped 16 minutes after OnStar was notified.
"He wouldn't have pulled over if OnStar hadn't have shut the vehicle down," Visalia Police Sgt. Steve Phillips told reporters. "Generally pursuits end in a collision."
-- Melissa Rohlin
I drive a clunker and probably won't ever have OnStar, but it's great to see things happen like this, where technology foils the bad guys!! GO OnStar...
Posted by: Verballistic | October 19, 2009 at 06:42 PM
ok, and my buddy's truck couldn't even get its doors open; I think they definitely got lucky.
Posted by: MaxxFlash | October 19, 2009 at 10:49 PM
Too much Big Brother for me. I can see a day coming when we'll have to ask OnStar for permission to run errands.
Posted by: Larry | October 20, 2009 at 05:01 AM
Next feature added should lock the doors and deploy the airbags. Then automatically drive the vehicle to the police station.
Posted by: jklip | October 20, 2009 at 08:04 AM
Just another reason I love my Saturn Vue!!!
Posted by: Miss I | October 21, 2009 at 08:49 AM
Compare to the Lexus that wouldn't stop and crashed at 120mph, killing all four occupants, this is not a bad idea
Posted by: tyler G | October 21, 2009 at 12:41 PM
Sounds like the Toyota programmers should take a cue from OnStar...
Posted by: not the chauffeur in my house | October 21, 2009 at 03:49 PM
I KNOW IT IS WRONG TO STEAL..
BUT EVEN IF NOBODY BELIEVES HIM.IT WASNT HIM..THERE WAS TWO PEOPLE IN THE CAR..THE PERSON THAT STOLED THE CAR WAS THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY.NEWS SAYS THE ONLY THING THE MEN DID NOT GET BACK WAS THEIR CASH...WHERE IS IT? THE PERSON THAT GOT AWAY HAS IT BECAUSE THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN IT BACK IF THE SUSPECT HAD IT RIGHT? PEOPLE TALK AND ASSUME THINGS HAPPENED..YOU ONLY KNOW THE TRUTH IF YOU WERE THER...
I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I KNOW THIS PERSON..HE IS DOING TIME FOR SOMEONE ELSES MISTAKE...
I KNOW ITS NOT FAIR AND HE WAS AN ACOPMLISE BUT IS IT FAIR FOR HIM TO GET LIFE FOR SOMETHING HE DIDNT DO?
Posted by: ROSIE | October 21, 2009 at 04:43 PM
Hello !!! GM is Government Motors it is only a matter of time when they start to limit your usage of your property!!!!
Posted by: Ed | October 22, 2009 at 10:37 AM
This isn't going to help the sale of Escalades.
Posted by: connor | October 22, 2009 at 11:56 PM