Teens Charged in Pursuit Involving Stolen Vehicle Ending with Fatal Crash

On Saturday, at approximately 2:53 PM, Millbrook police officers responded to a business in the 600 block of Deatsville Highway with regard to a stolen vehicle. The victim advised officers that she and two 10-year old children exited their vehicle, a 2011 Nissan Maxima, and entered the business to make a purchase. The vehicle was left running, with the keys left in the ignition. Witnesses stated that two black males entered the vehicle and left the business, travelling south on Deatsville Highway.

Prior to the vehicle pulling out of the parking lot the victim, a 28-year old Prattville female resident, attempted to prevent the vehicle from pulling off by standing in front of the vehicle. The driver responded by driving straight at the victim and according to witnesses the vehicle did come into contact with the victim, who complained of soreness to her right side, but did not seek medical attention when offered at the scene.

A witness was able to follow the stolen vehicle to Alabama Highway 14, where the vehicle proceeded west on Highway 14 towards Prattville. A unit responding to the area was able to locate the vehicle on Highway 14, as the vehicle approached I-65, at which point the officer activated his emergency equipment and attempted to stop the vehicle.

The vehicle accelerated as it continued west bound into Prattville, refusing to stop for the patrol unit, which was fully marked and utilizing all available emergency equipment. The stolen vehicle continued westbound on Highway 14, where it turned southbound on McQueen Smith Road.

The vehicle continued to accelerate as it continued southbound on McQueen Smith the vehicle ran out of the officer’s view, as it approached Glynwood Baptist Church the vehicle apparently lost control striking the curbing on the southbound lane of traffic, then entered the northbound or opposing traffic lane, where the vehicle collided head-on with 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, which was occupied by 3 people.

Officers came upon the collision scene just seconds after it happened. The Prattville Police Department and Fire Rescue had units on scene to assist shortly after the traffic collision occurred.

The two suspects, a fourteen year old Montgomery resident and a 15-year old Millbrook resident were taken into custody without incident. The three occupants of the Volkswagen Jetta, a seventy two year old male, a sixty-nine year old male, and a sixty-nine year old female, all of Montgomery, were treated at the scene and transported to Baptist South Hospital with vary degrees of injury ranging from stable to critical condition.

The two suspects were transported to Baptist South, where they were evaluated and released. Both suspects were placed under arrest, each being charged with Theft of Property 1 st Degree and Felony Attempting to Elude. The 14-year old, who was identified as the driver of the stolen vehicle was detained and transported to the Montgomery County Youth Detention Facility, where he will remain until a hearing before a Juvenile Court Judge. The 15-year old was processed and release to his parent pending a hearing in Juvenile Court.

On Sunday, April 16, one of the victims of the traffic collision, later identified as Jimmy S. Ward, a 69 year old Montgomery resident, was pronounced as deceased shortly after 8:00 PM, having succumbed to injuries received as a result of the collision.