A 13 year old out of state runaway leads law enforcement on high speed pursuit.
Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were alerted to a reckless driver eastbound on Route 13 near Spillway Road on Sunday. Multiple 911 calls reported that the driver appeared to be a young driver and the vehicle at one point was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane.
Law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle at Rt 13 and Division Street in Carterville at which time the vehicle fled reaching speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. The vehicle continued eastbound on rt 13, turned northbound onto the southbound I-57 exit ramp and traveled northbound in the southbound lane of I-57 into oncoming traffic for several miles before crossing into the northbound lane.
The vehicle exited I-57 at Johnston City, failed to make the turn onto Broadway Blvd, coming to a rest at the bottom of the embankment on the northeast side of the interchange. The driver, identified as a 13 yr old male runaway, exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended without further incident. The vehicle was stolen out of Carbondale.
The driver is believed to be one of three runaway juveniles who ran away from a group home for vulnerable, at risk youth based in Owensboro, KY. The driver was not injured but is currently in the custody of Williamson County Deputies for Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding as well as other charges. The investigation into the incident is ongoing as Illinois & Kentucky law enforcement work to determine the best course of action.
