LANCASTER — A teenager is accused of fleeing police in a stolen vehicle and striking an occupied vehicle head-on in Lancaster City.
Just before 5 p.m. Thursday, a detective found four vehicles — a Dodge Dart, a Toyota RAV4, a Hyundai Santa Fe and a Honda CRV — in a parking lot between Reiker Avenue and Crystal Street that had been reported stolen to Lancaster Police and Manheim Township Police.
While the detective was watching the vehicles and making arrangements for the vehicles to be brought to the police station, an unknown person — later determined to be a 14-year-old — got into the Santa Fe and left.
The detective notified officers via radio and moments later, police in a marked vehicle spotted the Santa Fe in the 100 block of Pearl Street.
Police say the driver turned into an alley and refused to pull over. The teen fled on First Street, turned south on South West End Avenue and then made another turn onto Third Street.
According to police, the 14-year-old failed to negotiate a right turn onto Manor Street and went into the opposing lane of traffic, causing a head-on collision with an occupied vehicle (the occupants suffered minor injuries and sought treatment at the hospital).
The teenager fled on foot and was apprehended in the first block of Caroline Street, police say.
An allegation against the minor was filed before Lancaster County Juvenile Probation for receiving stolen property, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, fleeing or attempting to elude police and accidents to attended vehicle or property, as well as summary violations.
Police say the teen was placed on record and juvenile probation was consulted regarding detention at Youth Intervention Center.
Detention was not authorized and the minor was released the custody of a parent, police add.
Police note that earlier Thursday, officers recovered two additional stolen vehicles, an Acura MDX and a Hyundai Sonata. The next day, a detective found a stolen Kia Sorento.
According to police, all seven vehicles — six from Thursday and one from Friday — had keys left inside when they were stolen.
