13-year-old girl damaged vehicles, property and drove over 100 mph during wild pursuit, deputies say
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BONNEVILLE COUNTY — A 13-year-old girl is in custody after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase through Bonneville County early Wednesday morning, damaging vehicles, yards, a garage and other property.
Bonneville County Sheriff deputies were called to assist Ucon Police around 1 a.m. with a pursuit involving a pickup truck traveling at a high speed with only one functioning headlight, according to a sheriff’s office news release. The vehicle reportedly ran a red light at Highway 26 and continued south on Ammon Road.
As deputies and Idaho State Police joined the pursuit, deputies say the vehicle sped through a construction zone, turned onto Iona Road, and drove through multiple residential yards. A deputy attempted a traffic stop near 25th East and Iona Road, but the chase was abandoned due to the truck’s continued reckless speed.
Authorities observed the truck turn south again on Ammon Road, now with no headlights, before entering a neighborhood near Rocky Mountain Middle School. The vehicle was located shortly after in a nearby apartment complex. When confronted, the news release says the driver rammed two patrol vehicles and damaged a garage while attempting to flee. A second deputy collided with the pickup to block its path, but the suspect was still able to escape.
The vehicle then sped north on Ammon Road, reaching speeds over 100 mph and ignoring traffic signals. The chase ended when the driver lost control attempting to turn onto Roh Lane from North Yellowstone and drove the vehicle into a canal.
Deputies arrested the driver, a 13-year-old girl, and her 15-year-old male passenger. The girl was transported to the 3B Juvenile Detention Center and booked on two felony counts of aggravated battery, felony eluding, and several misdemeanor charges including joyriding and leaving the scene of an accident.
The male passenger was released to his parents and authorities say charges related to the theft of the pickup truck are pending.
No injuries were reported, but multiple patrol vehicles and private property were damaged.