Jeff McShan's reports: 11 News at 10 Tues. | 11 News at 6 Wed.

He thought he could run.  Now city leaders are reacting to one man’s excuse to why he didn’t stop for deputies.

HCSO

Richard Ramos

The suspect confessed to 11 News he was confused and thought the Houston Police Department’s no chase policy was in still in place.

The chase started around 10 p.m. at Aldine Bender and lasted about 20 miles, ending just south of downtown at a Shell gas station on the corner of Kirby and Highway 59.

11 News photographer Chris Desmond approached Richard Ramos as he was being led to a squad car.

Desmond: “Talk to me.  Why did you run?”

Ramos: “Why?  Because I thought that police chase was over, they’re not supposed to chase, they’re not supposed to chase.  So I want to prove a point.  That’s why.”

Officials said they wanted to pull Ramos over for a basic traffic violation.

“For whatever reason, he refused to stop because he felt like there was no law where we could chase,” Deputy Kevin Mason said.

The words were music to the ears of HPD traffic officers who have been telling 11 News Ramos is not the only one running because they think the police chase policy changed to “no” chases.

It did change, but quickly changed back to where it was before.

“Sounds like that guy needs an I.Q. test,” said Mayor White.  “That’s the most ridiculous thing I ever heard.  Somebody that wants to run from a police officer runs at their own risk.”

Two weeks ago the mayor and the police chief announced the policy to not chase people for Class C misdemeanors was thrown out because the entire policy needs to be looked over more carefully and had basically been released too soon.

“I thought the timing of it was poor in communications in what we are trying to accomplish with public safety in our town.  Anybody that sees red lights flashing behind them, they’ve got to know to stop,” Mayor White said.

Richard Ramos was going to jail regardless.  The authorities chasing him were Harris County deputies, and they have always been allowed to chase someone that runs from the law.

Ramos faces charges of evading arrest.

Councilman Adrian Garcia heads the pubic safety commission for the city of Houston.  He will begin having hearings on Monday to discuss pros and cons with different chase policies.