Ohio 10-year-old steals family car, leads police on high-speed chase
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A 10-year-old Ohio boy didn’t spend his Thursday morning in school, or at home playing video games. Instead, he led highway patrol officers on a high-speed car chase reaching speeds of almost 100 miles per hour.
The joyride -- which lasted less than an hour -- was the boy’s second in two weeks, according to Cleveland police.
A man dialed 911 after he saw a 2004 Toyota Avalon swerving across Interstate 90 west. Westlake police officers spotted a speeding car being chased by another vehicle, possible driven by the boy’s mother.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Three Westlake officers followed the boy for more than 15 miles -- with speeds reaching 100 mph -- before he drove through a toll booth and entered the Ohio Turnpike.
13-YEAR-OLD DRUNK OFF FOUR LOKO LEADS COPS ON HIGH-SPEED CHASE
That’s when at least four Ohio Highway Patrol troopers joined in on the chase and attempted a rolling roadblock as the boy drove erratically along the turnpike, with the troopers close behind for close to 20 miles.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The boy eventually slowed down and drove onto a berm to avoid driving over stop sticks. One trooper then nudged the boy’s car at a slow speed into a mile post sign, and another state vehicle blocked the boy’s car, preventing him from re-entering the road.
“It was very lucky no one was hurt,” Highway Patrol Sergeant Tim Hoffman told The Associated Press.
When the child was taken into custody, he attempted to spit in the troopers' faces and even kicked one of them in the chin, WEWS reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The boy was taken to a hospital by a legal guardian, and will be placed in the custody of Erie County Children’s Services before being evaluated. Ohio Highway Patrol said it will confer with the Erie County Prosecutor’s Office about criminal charges.
The boy said he decided to take the family car out because he was bored, according to WEWS.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.