A man who had been arrested during a traffic stop in Dallas managed to free one hand from his handcuffs, climb into the driver’s seat of a police squad car, and drive away while one of the arresting officers was still in the back seat, according to the Dallas Police Department. The incident occurred near Interstate 35 and Illinois Avenue, and was captured on body-worn and dash camera footage that the department has since released to the public.
Officers Ibrahim Kante and Kenneth Harper stopped a driver identified by police as 37-year-old Stacey Huffman in the 2300 block of South Marsalis Avenue at around 5:35 p.m. for a registration violation, per the DPD. The stop led to Huffman’s arrest on suspicion of Driving While License Invalid, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Officer Kante said he handcuffed Huffman and placed him in the rear seat of the squad car while the two officers continued their on-scene work.
At some point while seated in the back of the squad car, Huffman managed to slip his left hand out of the handcuffs and hid his hands behind his body. As seen in the video, as the officers began driving him to jail, he opened the locked rear door and removed his seatbelt.
How Huffman took control of the squad car and what happened next
In a public briefing, Major Bobby Eper of the DPD’s Crimes Against Persons Division said that, at around 6:10 p.m., Officers Harper and Kante pulled over on northbound I-35 near Illinois Avenue and stepped out of the vehicle to restrain Huffman. Eper said, while both officers were outside, Huffman climbed from the back seat into the driver’s seat and drove off. Harper managed to get into the rear seat as Huffman drove off, while Kante was left outside, police said.
With Harper in the back seat, Eper said Huffman pulled the Taser wires away, rendering the device ineffective. Officer Harper then drew his duty weapon, and as Huffman accelerated the vehicle, Harper struck Huffman on the side of the head with it, Eper stated. Huffman appeared to continue driving erratically after the strike, causing the squad car to fishtail and throwing Officer Harper violently across the back seat. This incident is one of several recent cases involving suspects being taken into custody in handcuffs that have drawn public attention.
After traveling approximately 1,000 feet at speeds reportedly reaching around 50 miles per hour, Huffman appeared to open the driver’s side door and jump out of the moving vehicle. Officer Harper was then able to take control of the squad car and avoid a collision. Huffman was knocked unconscious after jumping from the vehicle and was taken into custody at the scene, police said.
Both Huffman and Officer Harper were transported to a local hospital following the incident. Officer Harper was apparently treated and released, while Huffman remained hospitalized as of the briefing. Upon his release from the hospital, Eper said Huffman is set to face the original charges from the traffic stop: Driving While License Invalid, Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, along with two additional charges of Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Escape from Custody.
Eper said the incident is being investigated by the Dallas Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, and that the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office and the Office of Community Police Oversight have both been notified. Cases involving individuals escorted off public transport in handcuffs have similarly sparked public debate around law enforcement conduct. Eper noted that the investigation remains active and ongoing, and that information may change as additional evidence, forensic analysis, and video review are completed.
Body-worn and dash camera footage from the incident has been released so the public can view what occurred, Eper said. “The Dallas Police Department remains committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining the trust of our community,” he stated.
Published: Jun 10, 2026 08:22 pm