Video: Ariz. Real-Time Crime Center Helps Track Fleeing Stolen Vehicle that Rammed Police Cruiser

A man is accused of crashing into a Glendale police cruiser and almost pinning an officer when he fled in a stolen pickup truck after the agency's real-time crime center spotted the vehicle at a car wash.
Feb. 26, 2026
2 min read

What to know

  • The Glendale Police Department said its real-time crime center helped locate a stolen pickup Jan. 5, leading to a confrontation in which the driver allegedly rammed a patrol vehicle and nearly pinned an officer.

  • Surveillance cameras tracked the suspect as he fled into oncoming traffic and crashed through gates at a church before abandoning the vehicle and fleeing on foot.

  • The suspect was arrested about a week later and allegedly told investigators he fled because he had drugs on him.

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An Arizona police department's real-time crime center helped track a stolen vehicle that almost pinned an officer when the driver slammed into a cruiser while fleeing last month.

The incident happened Jan. 5 when the Glendale Police Department's real-time crime center located a stolen vehicle at a car wash, the department stated in a social media post. Officers were dispatched, and when they reached the car wash, the driver—identified as John Graff—was vacuuming the stolen pickup truck

"When confronted, Graff jumped back into the truck and rammed a police cruiser, nearly pinning one of our officers between two vehicles," the department stated.

Surveillance cameras captured Graff making his escape by speeding into oncoming traffic and nearly crashing into other vehicles. Glendale's real-time crime center continued to keep tabs on the stolen vehicle.

"It was shortly after that, that he crashed through the gates of a church building and then abandoned the vehicle there," Officer Moroni Mendez told KPNX-TV. "There's a playground there, there's what any other church would have members, and churchgoers attending, so thankfully nothing more than that happened."

Police later found the pickup church abandoned at the church after Graff fled on foot.

A week later, Graff was spotted and taken into custody by officers. He allegedly told a detective that he wasn't out to hurt anyone and that he fled the car wash because he had drugs on his person, according to Mendez.

"We are incredibly proud of the bravery and professionalism displayed by our officers in a dangerous and fast-moving situation," the department stated. "The dedication of the men and women of the Glendale Police Department never ceases to inspire."

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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