DALLAS — You’ve heard of backseat drivers. Dallas police say Stacey Huffman took the concept a little too literally.
What started as a routine traffic stop over a registration issue reportedly turned into a freeway circus when the 37-year-old suspect allegedly wriggled out of his handcuffs, commandeered a police cruiser and tore down Interstate 35 with a cop trapped in the back seat.
According to investigators, Huffman was arrested after officers stopped him on South Marsalis Avenue on May 30. Police say he was initially booked on allegations including driving with an invalid license, drug possession and unlawful firearm possession. Then came the part nobody puts in the training manual.
Authorities say Huffman somehow slipped one hand free from his restraints while sitting in the rear of the squad car, then concealed what he had done by keeping his hands behind his back. As officers headed toward jail, police say he began testing the locked rear door and removed his seatbelt, apparently signaling he had no interest in completing the ride peacefully.
The situation escalated when officers pulled over on northbound I-35 to secure their increasingly restless passenger. That’s when, according to police, Huffman spotted an opening. With both officers outside the cruiser, Huffman allegedly climbed into the driver’s seat and punched his ticket to an instant felony spree.
One officer managed to dive into the back seat before the patrol vehicle sped away. Body-camera and in-car footage reportedly show the officer deploying a Taser in a desperate attempt to stop the getaway. Police say that effort fizzled when Huffman allegedly yanked the wires loose.
The officer can be heard repeatedly yelling, “Stop the car!” — a request that apparently ranked somewhere below “ignore completely” on the suspect’s to-do list.
Police say the officer then struck Huffman on the side of the head with his duty weapon as the cruiser accelerated. Video reportedly shows the officer being thrown violently around the back seat while the vehicle swerved down the roadway at speeds approaching 50 mph.
Then came the grand finale.
Authorities say Huffman opened the driver’s-side door while the cruiser was still barreling down the freeway and jumped out of the moving vehicle.
Because apparently stealing a police car with a cop inside wasn’t adventurous enough.
Police estimate the cruiser traveled roughly 1,000 feet during the chaos, with Huffman allegedly controlling the vehicle for about 30 seconds. The officer, meanwhile, scrambled forward and regained control moments after Huffman bailed out, preventing what could have become a catastrophic crash involving innocent motorists.
The leap didn’t end well for the alleged escape artist. Officials say Huffman was knocked unconscious and taken back into custody after receiving medical attention at the scene. Both he and the officer were transported to a hospital. The officer was later released, while Huffman remained hospitalized.
When he is discharged, police say he is expected to face a lengthy list of charges, including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and escape from custody, on top of the offenses that landed him in handcuffs in the first place.
The incident remains under investigation.
Jail-bound suspect slips cuffs, steals police cruiser with officer trapped in back seat pic.twitter.com/2PRdzvsyG4
— thedailybs w/ Snerdley (@thedailybs_Bo) June 5, 2026
