Preteen Steals Car and Leads Delaware State Police on Pursuit

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NEW CASTLE, DE. – A preteen boy is facing multiple charges after stealing a vehicle and leading police on a pursuit yesterday.

On Saturday, July 18, 2020, Delaware State Police dispatchers were called at around 12:10 p.m. with the report of a stolen vehicle in the 4000 N. Dupont Parkway, in New Castle. The 41-year-old male driver stopped his red 2003 Ford Ranger but left it running with unlocked doors in the parking lot of a Wawa Convenience Store. When he returned to his vehicle, a young male suspect was driving out of the parking lot in the victim’s vehicle.

Troopers looked for the stolen vehicle in the area and located it in the parking lot behind a local area motel. A traffic stop was initiated, but the 12-year-old suspect kept driving onto Eastbound West Avenue. The pursuit continued into the 200 block of Lambson Lane where he lost control and crashed into a parked vehicle. Rather than stopping, the young suspect made a U-turn and began driving westbound on West Avenue at a high rate of speed with no regard for traffic signals and signs. Eventually, the suspect failed to negotiate the curve subsequently losing control of the stolen truck. After crashing into a guardrail, the juvenile got out of the truck and fled on foot. Troopers caught up to the suspect and took him into custody.

The boy was transported to the police station and was charged with three felonies including; theft of a motor vehicle, hindering prosecution, and disregarding a police officer. He was also charged with multiple misdemeanors and infractions including; resisting arrest, leaving the scene of a collision, driving without a driver’s license, careless driving, two counts of driving a vehicle at an unreasonable or imprudent speed, failure to stop at a stop sign, two counts of failure to remain in a single lane and failing to report a collision.

The juvenile was arraigned before the Justice of the Peace Court and released back to his guardian on $8,008 unsecured bond.