FOREST PARK, Ohio — A 14-year-old boy accused of stealing a car and leading Forest Park police on an early morning pursuit Monday told officers he did it because he "was bored," according to investigators.
Police arrested the teen after he drove over an embankment near the Winton Woods dam, Forest Park Police Lieutenant Adam Pape said.
The Kia Soul the teen was driving had been reported stolen the previous day, Pape said.
At about 1:43 a.m., the vehicle was detected by a Flock license plate camera near Sharon and Ballinger roads. An officer located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver sped away, Pape said.
Pape said the pursuit lasted about three to five minutes through residential neighborhoods, where the teen allegedly reached speeds of about 50 mph and ran multiple stop signs.
The chase ended after the car turned onto McKelvey Road and drove toward the Winton Woods dam, where the roadway leaves only one way in and out. Pape said the car went off the road, down an embankment and stopped just short of the water.
The teen then ran from the crashed vehicle but was quickly taken into custody by an officer, Pape said.
He suffered a cut to his head in the crash and was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to be serious.
The teen is facing charges including theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing and eluding police, reckless operation and multiple traffic violations. Pape said the theft charge is supported by the juvenile's admission that he stole the vehicle.
While the alleged reason for the theft stood out, Pape said the case reflects a growing trend departments across the region have been dealing with.
"Unfortunately, it happens more than you would think," Pape said.
He said juveniles continue to target older Kia and Hyundai models because they can be stolen with simple tools after methods for bypassing their ignition systems became widely known online.
Many of the stolen vehicles are taken for short "joyrides" before being abandoned only a few streets from where they were stolen. This case was different because the juvenile allegedly kept the vehicle for about a day before police found it, Pape said.
Pape said what concerned officers most was the danger created by the pursuit.
"It's extremely dangerous because at 14, you don't know how to drive, let alone drive recklessly through city streets," Pape said. "Luckily, this was at 2 a.m., so there were not a lot of people out."
Pape said the teen was not believed to have had prior contact with Forest Park police for similar offenses.
