An Addison boy has been charged with leading police on a high-speed chase in a stolen vehicle, prosecutors said.
The 14-year-old male appeared at a detention hearing Wednesday where Judge Kishori Tank ordered that he be released on home detention, according to a DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office news release.
The juvenile is charged with one count of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and one count of aggravated fleeing or eluding a peace officer, according to the release.
About 1 a.m. March 18, Oak Brook police spotted a Toyota stopped at a red light beyond the white boundary line, toward the middle of the intersection of Route 83 and Hodges Road.
Police followed the Toyota and initiated a traffic stop near 16th Street, causing the Toyota to come to a stop on the ramp of eastbound Butterfield Road, authorities said.
When the officer approached the passenger side of the Toyota, the driver, later identified as the juvenile, accelerated away at a high rate of speed. The officer pursued of the juvenile, allegedly reaching speeds of approximately 70 mph on Butterfield Road, according to the report.
During the pursuit, the juvenile allegedly ignored red stop lights on multiple occasions along Butterfield Road. He drove into a residential area at which time the officer slowed down and but continued to follow the Toyota, according to the release.
A short time later, police saw the Toyota abandoned with significant tire and wheel damage. With the use of a K9 Unit, the juvenile was ultimately found in a shed in the backyard of a residence in the 800 block of Saylor Avenue.
“Driving is a privilege, not a right,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in the release. “Furthermore, it is a privilege enjoyed by those above 16 years of age with a valid driver’s license. The allegations that a 14-year-old boy attempted to outrun the police in a stolen motor vehicle are extremely disturbing. The charges filed today once again send the message that anyone who attempts to flee from police, regardless of their age, will be caught and will quickly find themselves standing before a judge.”
The next court appearance the juvenile is scheduled for April 9.
Charges are currently pending against three other juveniles who also allegedly exited the vehicle and fled.