Columbus police arrested and charged three juveniles for auto theft and burglary of a home after the juveniles led police on a high-speed highway chase Monday evening.
According to Capt. Fred Shelton of the Columbus Police Department, police responded to a call at 206 Airline Road at around 5:15 p.m. when Willie Hawkins Jr. reported his 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer missing.
“He went into the house and noticed his back door was open, and as he continued to check, he found a television was missing also,” Shelton said, noting the vehicle is equipped with OnStar.
“We called OnStar to track his vehicle. They gave us locations of the vehicle and where it was moving.”
Police units began searching in the area for the vehicle, Shelton said, and eventually an officer located it on Highway 45 North near the Highway 82 on-ramp.
“Once the suspects, the three black males in the vehicle, once they saw the police officers, they picked up speed in the vehicle and got on the bypass,” Shelton said, adding they headed west on Highway 82.
“We gave pursuit, and they were coming off at the Highway 45 South exit.”
Shelton said the vehicle continued to the intersection of Highway 45 South and Artesia Road before wrecking.
“Actually, they ran into someone’s yard,” Shelton said, noting he vehicle crashed at 111 Artesia Road.
Two of the three juveniles, including the driver, tried to evade police on foot after crashing the Trailblazer, but Shelton said police caught and arrested them.
According to Shelton, the wreck occurred because the vehicle was traveling at high speeds.
“They were driving recklessly and driving into oncoming traffic, weaving in and out and trying to elude police,” Shelton said.
The three juveniles arrested gave police the name of a fourth juvenile who also participated in the crime, Shelton said.
“They dropped him off at Leigh Mall, and that explains why they were at the entrance to the bypass,” he said.
The juveniles range from 15-17 years old and are all from Columbus, Shelton said.
Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted Columbus police in the incident.
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