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PROVO — A woman was killed in a traffic accident Sunday that police say was caused by a teen who had just run away from a youth center and stolen a sport utility vehicle.
Provo police were still sorting out the details Monday morning.
A 17-year-old boy reportedly walked away from the Provo Canyon School on Sunday. The school's website describes it as "an intensive residential treatment center that has been providing excellence in substance abuse, mental health and behavioral health treatment for troubled teens and pre-teens for over 40 years."
The Provo Police Department says later in the day, the teen entered a home in north Provo and changed into some clothes that he stole from the residence. The homeowner returned and confronted him. The teen returned the homeowner's possessions then left the residence.
Some time later, police received a call from Provo Canyon School that the teen had driven through their parking lot in a stolen black Mercedes SUV.
Officers spotted the vehicle and tried to stop it near 1800 N. Freedom Blvd. The driver, while still driving the speed limit, refused to pull over, according to Provo police.
The sergeant that witnessed the accident pursued him across the overpass, jumped down over the barrier onto the freeway, and was running down the freeway southbound and apprehended him.
–Lt. DeVon Jensen
After turning onto University Avenue, the teen accelerated near 300 South. Police at that point stopped pursuing him. The boy, however, continued at a high rate of speed and struck another vehicle at 1860 South after 8 p.m. Police estimated the boy was going more than 100 mph.
A 65-year-old woman in the vehicle died at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center. A man remained in critical condition there Monday morning.
The teen got out and ran after the accident but was caught by police a short time later.
A police sergeant who was northbound on I-15 saw the accident and the teen running toward the freeway.
"The sergeant that witnessed the accident pursued him across the overpass, jumped down over the barrier onto the freeway, and was running down the freeway southbound and apprehended him," Lt. DeVon Jensen of the Provo City Police Department said.
The teen has been booked into Slate Canyon Detention Center for burglary, vehicle theft, and manslaughter.
Contributing: Shara Park, Randall Jeppesen and Linda Williams
