Preteen’s Joyride Ends in Police Chase and Crash

A 12-year-old boy is facing serious consequences after stealing his parents’ car for a joyride that culminated in a high-speed chase and a collision with a police cruiser. The incident took place in Sacramento early on Monday morning.

According to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the unidentified boy took his parents’ Ford SUV around 7 a.m. to drive to his former school. The motives behind his sudden desire to revisit the school remain unclear, as do the specifics about how long it has been since he attended.

In an effort to evade law enforcement, the young driver reportedly ran over several traffic cones as he left the school area, refusing to pull over when deputies arrived on the scene. This triggered a police pursuit that reached alarming speeds of 70 mph, as detailed by spokesperson Sgt. Amar Gandhi in a report to the Los Angeles Times.

During the chase, the underage driver crashed into a parked vehicle and subsequently collided with one of the police patrol cars. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the incidents.

The minor was taken into custody and transported to the Sacramento County Juvenile Hall, where he now faces several significant charges, including: hit and run, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, reckless evasion of a peace officer, vehicle theft, and receiving a stolen vehicle, according to the Los Angeles Times.

California law states that a minor cannot be charged with a crime in criminal court until they are at least 12 years old, which means the boy’s parents will not face criminal charges as a direct result of his actions. However, they may still be held financially liable for damages incurred during the incident if civil suits are filed against them.