Delphos teen leads police on chase, crashes truck

4/2/2002

DELPHOS, Ohio - A 14-year-old Delphos youth led police on a high-speed chase Sunday morning and ended up crashing the truck he had stolen from a relative in a field.

Delphos police attempted to stop the pickup truck for erratic driving just before 1 a.m. Sunday in the area of East Suthoff and South Franklin streets. The driver refused to stop and initiated a chase that led officers outside the city limits southbound on State Rt. 66. The chase reached speeds up to 90 mph, police said.

After sideswiping a police vehicle, the young driver failed to negotiate a curve at the intersection of State Rt. 81 and Defiance Trail. The truck left the road and traveled some 350 feet into a field where it struck piled-up debris.

Police arrested the young driver and discovered he had taken the vehicle without permission from a relative. The youth faces numerous traffic violations, including excessive speed, marked-lane usage, stop sign violations, and driving without a license. The juvenile also faces three felony charges of grand theft auto, felony fleeing and eluding, and vehicular assault.

No one was injured during the pursuit.