Why'd he run? The police are our friends.
Either Blanc didn't write clearly enough or your reading comprehension is off. Reread. The narrative was pretty much explaining the friend was driving pretty normal and the police thought they got a drop on a suspect that didn't think he was at risk of being caught.
My bad, I read:
because this was already a fleeing suspect to them they decided to catch him off guard.
as:
because he was already fleeing they decided to catch him off guard.Following that I read it as what they proceeded to do from his choice to flee, which fit the idea of a cop T-boning his car.
I figured, but yeah, not so. :)
Thrall to the Wire of Self-Excited Circuit.