Two juveniles were arrested — including one who was tasered — after allegedly fleeing in a stolen vehicle that was disabled in Southington on Thursday with stop sticks.
Authorities were alerted to the stolen Hyundai Elantra when a FLOCK license plate reader notified police that it had been driven into town shortly after 8:30 p.m., according to Lt. Matthew Hammell of the Southington Police Department.
Patrol officers located the vehicle in the area of Flanders Street and North Main Street before members of the Detective Division began conducting surveillance on the Hyundai as it was driven through town, Hammell said. Officers then made a coordinated effort to deploy stop sticks without alerting the occupants of the vehicle. The vehicle’s tires were deflated.
The driver allegedly pulled into a plaza at 235 Queen St. and stopped behind a building, where two people got out of the Hyundai and fled, Hammell said. The driver was quickly taken into custody.
According to Hammell, the passenger ran into the fire exit of Noble Restaurant, through the restaurant and then into Walmart. Officers who were chasing him were able to take him into custody after one of them deployed a taser.
Once they were in custody, both occupants were identified as 17-year-old boys from New Britain. One of them reported being injured and was taken to Bradley Memorial Hospital, according to Hammell. The boy was later released.
Both juveniles were transported to the Southington Police Department. Inside the stolen vehicle, Hammell said, officers found a flashlight and a screwdriver as well as items believed to have been taken from motor vehicle burglaries in the area.
One of the teens faces charges of first-degree larceny, theft of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer, criminal trover and operating without a license. The other has been charged with first-degree larceny, theft of a motor vehicle, interfering with an officer and breach of peace.
