Two Florida teens are accused of burglarizing six vehicles and ramming the patrol cruiser of a deputy who was attempting to stop them, leading law enforcement officials on a chase that covered three counties, authorities said.
According to a news release from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, one of the 17-year-olds was charged with aggravated fleeing to elude, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon and grand motor vehicle theft. The other teen was charged with aggravated fleeing to elude.
Cox Media Group is not naming the teens because they are juveniles.
The juveniles were leaving the Paddock Club apartment complex in the Tampa suburb of Brandon when a Hillsborough County deputy attempted to stop them, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The incident occurred at about 1:30 a.m. EST, according to WTVT.
Deputies said they had received reports of two people burglarizing vehicles within the apartment complex, WTSP-TV reported. Aviation and K-9 units located the juveniles, who were allegedly entering a stolen vehicle and leaving the area, according to the television station.
Deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, but the suspects hit the patrol car and headed toward Interstate 4, the Times reported.
The juveniles traveled east on the interstate, crossing into Polk and Osceola counties, WTVT reported. Sheriffs from those two counties and the Florida Highway Patrol assisted in the pursuit, according to the television station.
The teens stopped the stolen vehicle in Kissimmee in the area of Royal Palm Drive and Toluca Drive before fleeing on foot, WTSP reported.
Deputies, assisted by K-9 units, found one of the teens hiding under a blanket and the other one in a nearby shed, the Times reported.
The chase covered approximately 75 miles.
“Amidst the criminal and reckless actions of these two suspects, our deputies displayed unmatched professionalism and determination. Despite the deliberate strike on an HCSO deputy vehicle, our deputies’ commitment to the community’s safety while apprehending the suspects never faltered,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “I am immensely proud of and thankful for our law enforcement partners for their seamless collaboration as these suspects fled across multiple jurisdictions.”