Teen Driver Crashes Stolen Car in Gresham, Three Arrested

It was a Tuesday afternoon in Gresham, and what should have been a pretty typical day took a sudden, alarming turn. Police found themselves in pursuit of a stolen vehicle, and before long, that chase ended rather dramatically with a crash. You know, these things always seem to happen when you least expect them, often involving young folks making some incredibly poor choices.

The whole incident unfolded around 1:30 PM, specifically near the intersection of Southeast 174th Avenue and Southeast Yamhill Street. Gresham police officers had been tracking a 2017 Kia Sportage, which, it turned out, had been reported stolen. Imagine the scene: sirens, a car speeding, then that jarring sound of metal on metal. It's never pretty, and it certainly draws a crowd, or at least a lot of curious glances.

The person behind the wheel, a 16-year-old, apparently decided fleeing on foot was the best course of action immediately after the impact. Can you believe it? Just bolts. But, as these things often go, the police were quick on their heels, and the young driver was apprehended without much further ado. It just goes to show, you can run, but you usually can't hide for long, especially after a car crash.

Now, the driver wasn't alone in this escapade. There were two other individuals inside the stolen Kia, and thankfully, they didn't try to make a run for it. They stayed put at the scene, which, honestly, was probably the smarter move. One of them, it turned out, was wanted on an unrelated warrant, and the other reportedly put up a bit of a struggle during their arrest. It's like a whole chain reaction of issues, isn't it?

The 16-year-old driver is now facing a pretty serious list of charges, including felony attempt to elude, possession of a stolen vehicle, reckless driving, and even reckless endangering. It's a sobering reminder of the potential consequences when someone decides to take a car that isn't theirs and then drive it so irresponsibly. Thankfully, early reports indicate no serious injuries were sustained in the crash, which, given the circumstances, is a huge relief for everyone involved, or even just observing from afar. This whole situation just underscores the importance of making good decisions, especially behind the wheel.