The Thrill and Price of Police Chases

ByABC News
March 19, 2002, 5:29 PM

L O S   A N G E L E S, March 20 -- The streets and freeways of Los Angeles have become the stage for an increasingly popular spectator sport: high-speed police chases.

On average, Los Angeles has 1,000 chases a year, and when there's a chase, there's a good chance it will be on TV. Stations treat hot pursuits as breaking news, and when they go live with police chases, they often see their ratings double.

"What it is is reality television at its utmost," says Hal Fishman, an anchorman for KTLA in Los Angeles. "We are fascinated with this because we don't know the ending."

Police chases are riveting, and they often nail dangerous criminals. But are they worth the risk to innocent bystanders?

Tragic Reality TV

Televised chases became a phenomenon seven years ago when 90 million viewers tuned in to watch O.J. Simpson in the now infamous white Ford Bronco. Helped by the development of special helicopter cameras, stations have been covering chases regularly ever since.

While there may be a debate as to whether chases are newsworthy, no one questions that they can be exciting to watch. And yet, there is a risk in showing real life unfold: the risk of real-life tragedy.

In 1998, viewers got more than they bargained for when stations broke into children's cartoons and afternoon talk shows for a live shot of an angry man protesting HMOs. Daniel Jones, a maintenance worker, then picked up a shotgun and pulled the trigger killing himself on live TV. Jones' death was broadcast live by several local stations and by national cable network MSNBC.

The incident served as a tragic reminder that although chases may be exciting to watch, real lives are often shattered. In fact, it's estimated that about 40 percent of pursuits end in crashes, many involving innocent bystanders. Long after viewers turn off their TV sets, those on the ground can be left seriously injured or killed.

Noni Onossian was driving down Melrose Avenue with her husband on a visit to Los Angeles when another vehicle, being chased by police, collided head on with her car at 60 mph, sending her through the windshield.