Teen accused of driving stolen car involved in police pursuit, crash

A 16-year-old runaway stole a Ford Escort and led Ada County deputies on a high-speed pursuit that ended three miles away Sunday evening when the youth crashed the car into a bridge pillar on Cole Road near Barrister Drive, police said.

A deputy patrolling on West Overland Road spotted the Escort weaving in and out of its traffic lane and then switch lanes without signaling at about 8:20 p.m. The deputy attempted to pull over the car on Overland near Goldking Way, but the driver took off at speeds of up to 80 mph on the road where the speed limit is 40 mph.

The car went through several red lights, police said, and ended up on Cole Road, still going at high speed.

A second patrol deputy deployed spike strips, at Cole and Barrister Drive, just west of the sheriff’s office. The teen lost control of the car as he attempted to avoid the spike strips. The vehicle struck the pillar underneath the Boise Connector and spun out. The vehicle was badly damaged, police said.

The boy suffered non life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, said Patrick Orr, spokesman for the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office has recommended the teen be charged in juvenile court with felony eluding and theft, Orr said. A prosecutor with the Ada County Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office will make that decision.

This story was originally published November 23, 2015 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Teen accused of driving stolen car involved in police pursuit, crash."