Juvenile driver of stolen car charged after police chase ends in Locust neighborhood

LOCUST, N.C. — A juvenile driver was arrested and faces charges following a police chase that ended in a Stanly County neighborhood Wednesday morning.

The situation began around 11 a.m. in east Charlotte, where sources told Channel 9 they were trying to stop a stolen car but the driver refused to pull over.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said they never initiated an actual pursuit, but were following the car on the ground and from the air with their helicopter, “Snoopy.”

Chopper 9 Skyzoom was also flying over the situation, and could see the driver evading CMPD cruisers in a gas station parking lot before speeding away eastbound along Albemarle Road.

The driver eventually crossed the county line into Cabarrus County, where Chopper 9 could soon see several Locust police cruisers get behind the car and chase it, trying to get the driver to stop.

The car continued to speed along Albemarle Road into Stanly County, swerving in and out of traffic. The pursuit lasted several minutes before the driver then turned onto Bethel Church Road, and officers tried to deploy stop sticks near the intersection of Bethel Church Road and North Central Avenue.

Authorities said two of the car’s tires were punctured.

The car continued traveling down Meadowcreek Church Road with flat tires before driving through the Western Hills subdivision. The car then stopped partially in a ditch after going down a dead-end road, and officers quickly swarmed in.

The juvenile driver could be seen on the ground as officers put him into handcuffs. Police have charged him with possession of a stolen vehicle and felony flee to elude, and those charges will be pursued through the Juvenile Justice system.

A passenger of the vehicle was taken into custody in Mecklenburg County and may be looking at criminal charges, CMPD said.

Nobody appeared to be injured during the incident and no traffic accidents were reported.

The Locust Police Department was assisted in this pursuit by CMPD’s helicopter division, the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office, the Stanfield Police Department, and the Albemarle Police Department.

Police have not released any further information and the investigation is ongoing.

Check back with wsoctv.com for updates on this story.

(WATCH BELOW: CHOPPER 9: Police chase possible stolen car through 2 counties)

CHOPPER 9: Police chase possible stolen car through 2 counties Chopper 9 Skyzoom was overhead as police followed a car from Charlotte to Cabarrus County.

©2021 Cox Media Group