Citizens Aided in Detaining 15-Year-Old Following Last Night's High Speed Chase

A juvenile was arrested last night after he led police on a pursuit in a stolen yellow pickup truck. Police were aided by citizens in detaining the 15-year-old male suspect.

Just after 11:00 p.m. last night, San Angelo police were dispatched to the 1500 block of Webster Avenue for the report of a suspicious person in the area.  Upon arrival, Officers met with witnesses who said they observed a male suspect breaking into several neighbor’s vehicles before driving off in a pickup truck.

Officers began canvassing the area and soon located a suspicious vehicle that matched the description of the truck near the intersection of Woodlawn and Van Buren.  Officers attempted to stop the vehicle; however, the driver refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued.  The driver traveled at excessive speeds until the truck struck a curb in the 1000 block of Monroe Street.  The collision sent the truck into the front yard of a residence where it struck a landscaped area and flattened one tire. 

But the flat tire didn’t stop the suspect. He continued to flee with police in pursuit through surrounding streets and turned south onto the Howard Street bridge where it collided with one of the guardrails.  After the collision, the driver backed up and continued to flee eastbound on Freeland and north on North Bryant Boulevard.  After turning east at the 300 block of W. 10th Street, the suspect stopped the truck and fled on foot. 

Two Good Samaritans who were nearby observing the activity grabbed the suspect and detained him until officers took him into custody.

After checking the truck’s registration information through records, police discovered the pickup had been reported stolen earlier that day.

The male suspect, a 15-year-old from San Angelo, complained of injury once he was taken into custody and was transported to a nearby hospital for evaluation.  After his release, the suspect was transported to the Juvenile Detention Center and charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle and Evading in a Vehicle.