Car theft is a significant problem all over the country. Most people only consider how it impacts vehicle owners and car showrooms, but this crime also intrudes on public safety. This is evident in a recent story out of Florida involving a massive crash with a stolen SUV. Now, multiple teens are facing charges after trying to evade a traffic stop. 

Many instances of car theft involve drivers trying to evade a traffic stop

According to Fox 35 Orlando, Polk County police officers received word of an SUV involved in a car theft from the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office on March 7th. The vehicle in question was a 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander that had been reported stolen the prior day. From there, the officers and a helicopter began a pursuit to make a traffic stop. 

The suspects went through multiple Florida counties as the officers tried to conduct the traffic stop, including Osceola and Orange counties. There were numerous instances when the police spotted the stolen SUV, but the person behind the wheel found ways to evade them. They then attempted a PIT maneuver, but the driver fled the wrong way down the road.

The attempts at the traffic stop continued, but the teen driver behind the wheel ultimately crashed into two other vehicles. Notably, this happened at around 1:39 a.m. Everyone involved in the car accident went to the hospital to receive treatment for any injuries they may have had. The car theft suspect, an 18-year-old, was arrested and is now facing multiple charges. This includes burglary, grand theft of a motor vehicle, reckless driving, fleeing law enforcement, and driving without a valid license. 

Following the traffic stop, it was also determined that the driver already had an active warrant. The SUV also had a 13-year-old, a 15-year-old, a 16-year-old, and two 17-year-olds. The report says everyone in the vehicle had a criminal record and that more charges are pending. Things were so intense that multiple lanes of the interstate were closed for a time.