3 teens charged, 2 others being sought after high-speed chase in stolen vehicle ends in fiery crash in Morris County
DENVILLE TOWNSHIP, NJ (Morris County) – Three Essex County teens were charged after a high-speed police chase of a stolen vehicle Tuesday morning that ended in a fiery crash and two suspects remain at large, police said.
On July 13, at around 3:56 a.m., Denville Police observed a black Mercedes Benz traveling east on Route 46 that matched the description of a vehicle stolen out of Parsippany-Troy Hills earlier in the evening, police said.
As the officer pulled out behind the vehicle, the vehicle quickly accelerated and traveled onto Route 53 south. When the officer activated his overhead emergency lights and siren in an attempt to conduct a motor vehicle stop, the vehicle failed to stop and continued to travel at a high rate of speed on Route 53 south, police said.
The Mercedes attempted to navigate a bend in the roadway near the intersection of Durbin Avenue and the vehicle then left the roadway, struck a utility pole and a fire hydrant. As a result of the impact, the utility pole snapped and the pole and wires fell down into the roadway, police said.
The five occupants of the vehicle immediately exited the vehicle and fled on foot as the vehicle caught on fire, police said.
After a search of the surrounding area, three of the vehicle’s five occupants were located and taken into custody, police said.
A 16-year-old boy from Irvington, a 16-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy both from Newark were each charged with the unlawful taking of a means of conveyance and resisting arrest before being released to family members pending a court appearance, police said.
Two of the three juveniles were treated for minor injuries at either Saint Clare’s Denville Hospital or Morristown Medical Center and released, police said.
This incident remains under investigation and anyone who may have any information regarding this incident or the identities of the two remaining suspects is asked to contact Det. Scott Tobin of the Denville Police Department at 973-627-4900 x 350.
Denville Police were assisted by the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Sheriff’s Department, Parsippany Police Department, Morris Plains Police Department, Hanover Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, Millburn Police Department, and the Morris County Office of Emergency Management.
