Three teenagers were apprehended, and one is facing serious charges, after the group fled from police in an alleged stolen vehicle Tuesday morning in downtown Santa Barbara, leading to a short chase that ended with the teens crashing into a parked car. The 16-year-old driver was suspected of driving under the influence, according to police spokesperson Sergeant Ethan Ragsdale.
The incident started when a police officer noticed the car — which had been reported stolen by the owner earlier that morning — near the intersection of Bath and Carrillo streets. When the officer tried to pull over the car, the teenage driver failed to stop and fled into a nearby parking lot, eventually colliding with another vehicle with two passengers inside, according to police.
Police detained the 16-year-old boy who was driving and the two teenage passengers, both girls, ages 15 and 17. The two people in the car hit by the stolen vehicle were treated by paramedics with “minor injuries,” according to Ragsdale.
The driver is facing several charges including possession of a stolen vehicle, evading officers, felony driving under the influence, felony hit-and-run, resisting officers, and driving without a license. The two passengers were released to their guardians and will be referred to the Santa Barbara County Juvenile Probation Department with lesser charges.
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