5 teens stole car, eluded law enforcement multiple times over 30-hour stretch: Officials

Danny Peterson
·2 min read
3

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Five teenagers have been arrested and accused of eluding law enforcement officers in a stolen vehicle in Vancouver, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office said.

On Wednesday around 7:31 p.m., deputies were informed about a white 2017 Hyundai Elantra that had been stolen. The car theft victim and original owner followed their stolen car near Northeast 117th Avenue in the Orchards area in Vancouver, officials said. This trailing by the owner continued until one of the occupants pointed a gun at the owner. At that point, the owner stopped following the stolen car.

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Eventually, law enforcement intervened. However, over a period of 30 hours, the Hyundai was spotted several times by officers but eluded capture each time, according to authorities.

Then, during the early morning hours of Friday, the Hyundai was located once again near Northeast 49th Street and 112th Avenue.

Law enforcement arrested five teens accused of stealing a white Hyundai and eluding officers in Vancouver, Washington. February 2, 2024 (courtesy Clark County Sheriff's Office).
Law enforcement arrested five teens accused of stealing a white Hyundai and eluding officers in Vancouver, Washington. February 2, 2024 (courtesy Clark County Sheriff’s Office).

However, before the juveniles were apprehended, the Hyundai sped off, drove recklessly and attempted to elude deputies southbound on Northeast 121st Avenue, authorities said. The Hyundai eventually ran over spike strips that were deployed by deputies near Northeast 122nd Avenue just north of Northeast 49th Street. Despite this, the car kept on driving on multiple flat tires, leaving behind tire remnants and vehicle parts along several streets, officials said.

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Eventually, the Vancouver Police Department spotted the Hyundai, followed it as it continued along Northeast 162nd Avenue and Northeast 39th Street, and finally met the vehicle where it rested in someone’s front yard in the 1000 block of Northeast 164th Avenue.

CCSO deputies arrested the 16-year-old driver and the four other teens in the car. The driver was charged with possession of a stolen car, attempting to elude police and reckless driving. The three passengers — aged 17, 14, 14, and 13 — were all charged with second-degree taking a motor vehicle without permission. All five teens were transported to juvenile detention. The sheriff’s office also noted that one of the 14-year-olds and the 13-year-old had been reported in the past as juvenile runaways.

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