ATLANTA — An SUV packed with 10 youths, some of whom were suspected of breaking into cars, was pursued through Middle Georgia until it crashed into a utility pole Thursday, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said.
The kids range in age from 11 to 17, authorities said. The 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer had been reported stolen Wednesday, the sheriff’s office confirmed. Four people involved in the crash were flown to an Atlanta hospital, including a 14-year-old, two 13-year-olds and a 12-year-old — all boys.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies got a call about cars being broken into on Lamar Road around 1:30 a.m. A witness described the vehicle used by the suspects, and deputies spotted it a few miles away on Napier Avenue. They tried to pull over the vehicle, but the driver did not stop, and a pursuit ensued.
Eventually, the Georgia State Patrol joined the chase when it reached Mercer University Drive, the sheriff’s office said. Troopers then performed a PIT maneuver on the vehicle, which ended the pursuit with a crash into a power pole at the intersection with Burton Avenue.
The 17-year-old driver tried to run away but was apprehended by law enforcement, officials said. Deputies then realized how full the vehicle was and quickly worked to get the passengers out.
One female passenger, also 17, was pulled out and was said to be stable, according to the sheriff’s office. The remaining passengers had to be extricated. The boys flown to Atlanta were in critical condition, while an 11-year-old boy was taken to a Macon-area hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, authorities said.
Three other boys, ages 12, 13 and 14, were taken to a youth detention center, where they face a charge of theft by receiving stolen property and entering auto, according to the sheriff’s office. The driver was taken to the Bibb County jail, where he was booked on a charge of theft by receiving a stolen auto. It was not clear if the female passenger faced any charges.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bibb sheriff’s office at 478-751-7500 or Macon Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.
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