GRAHAM COUNTY — A local teen girl was booked into the Pinal County Juvenile Detention Center on multiple charges after leading law enforcement agencies on two chases.
The incident occurred Jan. 1, when a Graham County Sheriff’s deputy saw a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed on Reay Lane. When the deputy attempted a traffic stop, the vehicle took off, nearly hitting other vehicles and driving on the multi-use path.
The deputy terminated the chase for safety reasons, as the driver approached Highway 70.
A Pima Police officer then encountered the vehicle westbound on Highway 70 and gave chase, but also terminated the pursuit for safety reasons when the vehicle reached speeds over 100 miles per hour.
Since the vehicle did not show up on the FLOCK cameras in Fort Thomas, law enforcement began a search of the area, finding the vehicle abandoned in a field near the refuse station in Ashurst. Canines and drones were used to search and a drone spotted the teen hiding in a ditch about 100 yards from the vehicle.
The teen’s father confirmed the girl took the vehicle without permission, and had posted to social media that she was being chased by law enforcement.
The teen was taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center for a medical exam before Juvenile Probation took her into custody.
She is being charged with unlawful use of means of transportation, unlawful flight from law enforcement, endangerment and aggravated assault by Graham County Sheriff’s Office; and reckless driving, endangerment and pursuit by Pima Police.
