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12-Year-Old Leads Cops on Car Chase Ending in Fiery Crash
Image by DimkaSL via Shutterstock
A 12-year-old boy led deputies with the Orange County Sheriff's Department on a wild car chase Wednesday that had a fiery end.The chase got underway when deputies spotted the Chevy Aveo being driven without its lights on at approximately 1:15 a.m. Wednesday on Del Obispo Street near Paseo Carolina in San Juan Capistrano, relays the OC Weekly. According to L.A. Now, deputies say they initially believed the driver was intoxicated and driving recklessly.
A traffic stop was initiated, but the driver did not yield, and a chase began that continued through the streets of San Juan Capistrano and into Dana Point. It came to an end, however, when the car went over a median and into a tree. The driver got out and fled just before the Aveo burst into flames.
Deputies searched briefly for the driver, and found the kid hiding in some bushes.
“He’s very fortunate that he wasn’t injured,” said Lt. Joe Balicki of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. “There’s a whole bunch of things that could have gone wrong.”
The boy was returned to his parents. Their car didn't survive though. Authorities say they aren't yet certain why the child was driving his parents' vehicle. The OCSD will send the case to the OC District Attorney, who will determine if charges will be filed.
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