Cruisers Finally Ram Pick-Up Truck -- Air Traffic Briefly Disrupted

Imagine this conversation on your local ground frequency:

"America West 123 Sky Harbor Ground."
"America West123."
"America West 123, hold short for the stolen pickup ahead, then taxi to parking."
"America West 123, err... roger."

Phoenix Police say a stolen pick-up truck that had led officers on an hour-long chase during rush hour traffic Thursday morning wound up on the runway at Sky Harbor airport, ending only when two police cruisers rammed the errant vehicle.

Flights into and out of Sky Harbor were delayed briefly as officers arrested the suspect and carted him off to booking.

As television news helicopters hovered nearby, the drama unfolded on the runway after the stolen vehicle crashed through two fences and knocked a motorcycle cop off his bike, according to local police.

The driver, not yet publicly identified by police, led officers on a 40-mile chase before he burst onto the tarmac. He was later taken to the hospital with unspecified injuries.

FMI: www.phoenix.gov/AVIATION