CRIME
13-Year-Old Leads Deputies On 100 MPH Chase Through 4 Counties
Bladen County Sheriffs Office
A 13-year-old North Carolina boy was arrested Wednesday after allegedly leading authorities on a high-speed chase through four counties in a stolen vehicle before crashing into a utility pole.
The Bladen County Sheriff’s Office said a 911 caller on Wednesday reported a Black male wearing a ski mask had just stolen his vehicle in Elizabethtown, about halfway between Wilmington and Fayetteville. When a deputy spotted a vehicle matching the description just outside Elizabethtown, they activated their lights to initiate a stop, at which time the suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed to exceed 100 mph at times.
The suspect led deputies on a chase along multiple interstates across four counties. The Johnston County Sheriffs Office, Wake County Sheriffs Office and North Carolina State Highway Patrol all responded to assist.
According to the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect exited Interstate 40 onto Rock Quarry Road, at which time NCSHP took over the pursuit.
The suspect vehicle ultimately struck a utility pole, and the driver was taken into custody by the NCSHP.
Once in custody, authorities learned the suspect was just 13 years old. The boy denied being injured, but was transported to the hospital out of precaution and due to his age, the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office said.
Once released, the juvenile will be charged by The Department of Juvenile Justice and placed in secure custody at one of their juvenile facilities, the sheriff’s office said.
TMX contributed to this article.
