Teen charged after fleeing police in stolen car ended in crash near University of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS – A Minneapolis teenager is accused of fleeing police in a stolen vehicle near the University of Minnesota campus on Sunday and causing damage There was a collision with two other vehicles.

According to University of Minnesota police, five people were arrested after the crash and one officer was injured during the arrests.

The 16-year-old is accused of fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and possessing burglary or theft tools, according to a juvenile complaint filed Monday.

U of M police patrolling near campus saw a vehicle “recklessly changing lanes” right in front of their car just after 1 a.m. Sunday, the petition says. After the driver also ran a red light and turned in front of another vehicle that had the right of way, officers turned on their troop’s lights and siren and attempted to stop the driver.

On Fourth Street Southeast, the driver turned into an alley between 15th and 14th avenues and sped away, the petition says. After exiting the other end of the alley, the driver ran a red light again and crashed into a vehicle, causing his car to overturn. The vehicle then crashed into another car before overturning again and hitting a lamp post.

The police saw someone escape from the driver’s seat – the 16-year-old was later identified – and pursued him. During the search, officers found a screwdriver in his pocket and he admitted that two phones found in the crashed car belonged to him, the petition says.

Investigators said there was evidence that the center console of the crashed vehicle had been pried open, and the vehicle was reported stolen in April.

The 16-year-old is the only person against whom charges have been brought so far.