Teen driver leads New Albany Police, Union Co. Sheriffs and MS Highway Patrol officers on 100 mph chase

Two Union County children escaped serious injury when they led local law officers on a high speed chase Tuesday night, Feb 21.

A New Albany Police Department (NAPD) in routine patrol on West Bankhead St. spotted a Toyota Avalon with a headlight out, a moving violation, about 11 p.m. Tuesday evening. When the officer tried to stop the vehicle, it failed to stop and turned east onto Sam T. Barkley Drive. The officer gave chase as the vehicle fled down Sam T. Barkley, then turned south on Highway 15 at speeds up to 100 mph.

The officer did not know at that time was that the car was being driven by a 14-year-old boy, who had a 15 year old boy with him.

The Union County Sheriff’s office and the Mississippi Highway Patrol joined the chase.

The driver turned east from Highway 15 onto Highway 348.

The car with the two teens was ultimately stopped on Hwy 348 when officers deployed tire-puncturing spikes on the roadway. A New Albany Department vehicle was damaged when the fleeing car was finally stopped.

New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson said there were no injuries to police officers and no apparent injuries to the two boys.

The children were turned over to their parents. It turns out that the Toyota belonged to the stepmother of one of the boys.

The boys will be charged in juvenile court.

“This was a very dangerous incident,” said New Albany Police Chief Chris Robertson. “We’re just glad that no police officers and neither of the children involved in this event were injured.”

Not to mention any uninvolved motorists or pedestrians who could easily have met with misfortune on that night.

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