Kids generally understand that driving a vehicle requires a license, skill, and being a certain age. Every once in a while, though, a strong-willed or rebellious minor decides to get behind the wheel anyway. And recently, a 12-year-old boy stole his grandfather’s car and drove it 160 miles across the Washington mountains.
The name of the preteen has not been released. But on November 27, 2024, the boy decided to drive his grandad’s vehicle across Washington state. He was eventually apprehended by police — but instead of stopping, he took off, prompting a car chase.
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On November 27, a preteen in Washington drove his grandfather’s vehicle an impressive distance before being stopped by police. According to The Seattle Times, the 12-year-old made it 161 miles in total. The trek went across the Cascade Mountains to Eastern Washington before deputies spotted, pursued, and apprehended him, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office noted in a news release shared via Facebook.
The Sheriff’s Motor Traffic Unit was informed of the preteen’s “connection to Moses Lake,” according to the news release, and may head toward the Grant County area. After receiving the information, a deputy searched for the car and found it parked at approximately 10:20 a.m. But the ordeal didn’t end there.
After the deputies located the 12-year-old, the preteen led them on a short chase. One of the sheriff’s vehicles used a PIT (precision immobilization technique maneuver) to stop the car. A PIT is when a police car drives next to but slightly behind a vehicle to apply pressure to it so that it spins out and comes to a stop.
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According to the news release, no one — including the boy and the officers — was injured in the chase. Damage to the boy’s grandfather’s vehicle was “minimal,” too. Neither the 12-year-old’s name nor his reason for taking the car were released.
After the boy was finally taken into police custody, he was transferred to the Chelan County Juvenile Justice Center, The Seattle Times reported. He was also charged with “suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle and felony eluding.”
