Video: Teens Steal Pizza Delivery Driver's Car, Lead Fla. Deputies on Chase

By Madeleine Marr

Source Miami Herald

Two Central Florida teens went on a wild ride Sunday that didn’t end well.

“What you should do: Get a driver’s license, buy your own vehicle, and go on a Sunday drive,” said a Facebook post from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. “What you shouldn’t do: Steal a vehicle, drive it without a license, and flee from the police. Can you guess what these two did?”

The post goes on to say that the agency received information that a pizza delivery driver’s car, which had been stolen in Gainesville, in nearby Alachua County, may be in the area.

A deputy located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver, a 16-year-old, refused to stop and a chase ensued, which was caught on dashcam footage.

The young driver is seen briefly going off the road into a ditch before setting off again at high speeds. When the teen attempts to get on I-75 northbound, the deputy disabled the vehicle by performing a PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique, meaning the pursuing officer used his front bumper to ram the suspect’s rear bumper, causing the car to spin and stop).

During a search of the vehicle, two pizzas were located in the backseat.

The young driver and his 17-year-old passenger were both arrested.

The 16-year-old was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, no valid driver’s license, and fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer. The other kid was charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle.

The teens were ultimately transported to the Department of Juvenile Justice to be held in secure detention.

Commenters were appreciative of the deputy’s quick thinking and deft skills behind the wheel, but one social media user couldn’t help but chime in with a joke: “Great job, but I would have charged them for stealing the pizzas, too.”

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