A male juvenile runaway stole a vehicle from a family member last weekend and took police on a pursuit Monday night before crashing into a chainlink fence, according to Bloomington Police Department Capt. Ryan Pedigo.
About 9:11 p.m. Monday dispatch requested that officers locate a Silver Toyota Prius last seen in the area of S. Rogers and Patterson. Shortly afterward an officer saw the car heading eastbound with no headlights near the Circle K in the 1100 block of S. Walnut.
The officer noticed the vehicle had a damaged rear bumper hanging from the vehicle. The car had been involved in a collision earlier at Renwick Apartments.
Several vehicles were between the officer and the Prius, but the officer activated lights and caught up to the Prius. The car headed east on Hillside and refused to yield, but the officer confirmed the plate was the same as that of the stolen Prius.
During the pursuit, the driver side-swiped a 1998 Chevy Lumina parked at the intersection of Allen and Lincoln. Then the car headed toward the IU campus.
Police radio traffic indicated that IU police are no longer are allowed to deploy stop sticks during pursuits, and were unable to assist in stopping the stolen car.
However, the driver, still pursued by BPD, eventually crashed into a chainlink fence at Hunter and Faculty, and then continued on foot eastbound. An officer tackled the driver on the lawn of a home in the 1000 block of E. Hunter, and took him into custody, according to Pedigo.
Another juvenile was in the passenger seat of the Prius, and he was later charged with illegal consumption, a B misdemeanor, and criminal mischief for destroying a table after being taken into custody, a B misdemeanor.
The driver is facing 9 citations for traffic violations committed during the pursuit, along with 3 B misdemeanor counts of leaving the scene of an accident (he also hit and destroyed a mailbox); being an active runaway, which is called a delinquent act; driving without a license, a C misdemeanor; resisting law enforcement, level 6 felony; resisting law enforcement, A misdemeanor; reckless driving, C misdemeanor, and auto theft, a level 6 felony.
