COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — The Columbus Division of Police is investigating two early-morning crashes that officers say involved stolen cars and teenagers Wednesday.
“The battery was found in our neighbor’s garden; the alternator was found in the front yard,” Faith Holderby said as she swept up broken car parts and pieces of her porch after police say a 13-year-old slammed a Hyundai into her home on Lockbourne Road home. It happened at about 1:30 a.m.
“It almost felt like an explosion; it was loud and scary,” she added.
The teen was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital with serious injuries, police said.
Just two hours later, police responded to a second crash in southwest Columbus, where officers said a stolen Kia with three juveniles inside crashed into a tree in front of a home on Briggs Road.
“I went and woke up my husband, and said I think you better get up, there’s a car in our tree,” said Honey Sue Shafer, who lives in the home where the crash occurred.
Columbus police say officers had tried to stop the silver Kia Optima near Bonnie Court and Demorest Road, but the car sped off.
Officers tried to keep up but were unable to stay close to the vehicle, investigators said.
A few minutes later, the stolen vehicle struck the tree in Shafer’s yard.
“Why aren’t these kids in the house asleep?” Shafer asked. “I wasn’t out when I was younger after 11 o’clock.”
Doorbell camera video shows car parts flying in Shafer’s driveway, and what appears to be two people running from the crashed car.
Investigators said a 16-year-old passenger and two 17-year-olds were taken into custody.
Police haven’t said if the two car thefts are connected, or what charges the four teens involved in the two crashes could face.
“Find something else to do,” Holderby said. “It’s not worth ruining your future over it, not worth you getting hurt.”
