Early Wednesday morning, the Delaware State Police apprehended a 15-year-old suspect following a high-speed pursuit with a stolen vehicle officials said Friday.
The incident took place outside of New Castle and Wilmington, leaving authorities with a continued search for a second suspect involved.
The events unfolded at approximately 1:00 a.m., when a trooper on patrol in New Castle noticed a red Ford Edge traveling southbound on New Castle Avenue, nearing the onramp to northbound Interstate 295. Upon running a routine check, the trooper discovered that the vehicle had been reported as stolen by the Newtown Township Police Department in Pennsylvania on May 21, 2023.
In an attempt to stop the stolen car, the trooper signaled for the driver to pull over on I-295. However, the suspect chose to run, accelerating into New Jersey at high speed according to police. For safety reasons, the trooper discontinued the pursuit.
Approximately an hour and a half later another Delaware trooper spotted the same stolen Ford Edge on New Castle Avenue near Hillview Avenue in New Castle. Troopers made a second attempt to stop the stolen vehicle. However, the 15-year-old driver refused to comply and accelerated at a high rate of speed, heading northbound on New Castle Avenue toward Wilmington. The pursuit continued as the Edge turned onto Christiana Avenue, eventually colliding with a fence and concrete barrier in front of Intercontinental Services of Delaware, located at 1020 Christiana Avenue.
As the stolen car came to a stop, two individuals, both described as black males, exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Law enforcement was successful in capturing the 15-year-old driver a short time later with the assistance of troopers and other police agencies.
The second occupant of the stolen Ford Edge remains at large, and investigators are actively seeking any information that can aid in their identification. Authorities urge anyone with relevant details to contact Trooper First Class J. Guevara at 302-834-2620
Due to injuries sustained in the crash, the apprehended 15-year-old suspect was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. Once released, the teenager will face several charges, including receiving stolen property over $1,500, disregarding a police officer’s signal, resisting arrest, and multiple traffic violations.