Teenagers arrested after wild chase through Cleveland’s western suburbs

LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WJW) – Details are emerging about the police pursuit of a car full of teenagers in a stolen Kia early Tuesday morning in Cleveland’s western suburbs.

According to investigators, the chase shows why changes are needed in juvenile criminal law.

It started when Lakewood police tried to stop the car because the lights were off.

It turned out that the Kia Soul had been stolen, and it quickly became clear that the driver and four other teenagers in the car, all wearing masks, had no intention of stopping.

According to police, the driver hit the curb during the chase and drove across several yards, flattening several of his car’s tires.

A pursuing officer told a dispatcher, “We’re on West Clifton now. It just lost its tire, on all rims.”

The pursuit continued to Rocky River and then to Westlake, where the car spun out of control at an intersection and collided with a police SUV. One of the teens jumped out and ran, but the driver kept going.

Video shows the car traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes of Center Ridge Road. A Westlake police officer decided to end the chase by performing what is known as a PIT maneuver to cause the car to spin out.

The remaining teenagers jumped out of the car and ran, but two of them were quickly arrested.

One of them, a 17-year-old, was carrying a loaded weapon, according to investigators.

In a statement Friday, Lakewood police said they were disappointed when juvenile court officials quickly decided to place the other teenager under house arrest and put him in an ankle bracelet, and then ordered Lakewood officers to drive him home.

“It’s pretty frustrating. The biggest thing and the most concerning thing for me is that I’m not stopping, I’m driving dangerously and putting other people in danger. That’s the main thing I’ve taken away from this whole thing,” said Lakewood Police Captain Gary Stone.

Investigators also said one of the teens who jumped out of the car eventually hid in a wooded area in Westlake.

According to police, he then called his mother and asked her to drive him home.

As the teenager got into his mother’s car, officers stopped and arrested him.

When asked, the mother said she had no idea that her son was in the stolen car with the other teenagers.

According to police, the wild chase reflects the lawless attitude of the youths, who do not care about being held accountable by the courts.

“These thefts of these vehicles and failure to stop for police have serious consequences and we are very fortunate in this situation that no one was injured. Something like this, as serious as it is, deserves prosecution under our juvenile justice system, really,” said Captain Stone.

Police are currently trying to locate the youths who escaped on Tuesday morning, but admit they fear the juvenile court will simply release the youths without seriously punishing them.