A 15-year-old boy driving a stolen vehicle reportedly took authorities on a wild chase through South Florida on Sunday (February 21), according to sources.
The incident started around 2:30 p.m. when Miami Beach motorcycle officers tried pulling over a black Cadillac that sped through a stop sign near South Pointe Drive and Alton Road, Local 10 reported. Police said they learned the vehicle was stolen out of Miami-Dade County along with the license plate from a different incident.
During the pursuit, the car struck an officer's motorcycle near 2nd Street and Ocean Drive, according to authorities. The vehicle also went down the 400 block of Washington Avenue, where five passengers bailed out of the Cadillac, police said.
Local 10 also shared two video of scared customers running from outdoor dining areas as the stolen car sped down busy streets. Another video showed the car driving through a grassy park while people were around.
Police said the driver crashed into some barricades after exiting Ocean Drive and 7th Street. Even though the vehicle's tires were punctured on spikes, the driver kept driving to the 600 block of Washington Avenue, according to officers. The chase ended there, and the 15-year-old was taken into custody while trying to flee, authorities added.
“While they apprehend the suspect, the officer noticed the vehicle start to smoke,” Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Ernesto Rodriguez said. “They had to break the window to check the car for additional people and turn off the car. They found a gun in the drivers’ seat with an extended magazine.”
The teenager is facing charges in the incident. Three of the passengers who bailed out of the Cadillac were detained and questioned, reporters said. Miami Beach police said they're still looking for the other two occupants, who they identified as male.
“We have two males still at large,” Rodriguez said. “We’ve made significant progress in identifying these folks and our detectives are working aggressively to get these folks into police custody.”
Police believe the teenage boy was not the only driver. Reporters said authorities are looking into whether he switched places, at some point, with one of the suspects at large.
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