IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A 13-year-old female was arrested after leading police on a high-speed chase early Wednesday morning. The teenager was driving a stolen pickup truck that she crashed into a canal after a roundabout pursuit through residential areas and construction zones.
The chase began just before 1 a.m. when Bonneville County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a request for assistance from the Ucon Police Department. The pickup truck, which had only one working headlight, was seen running a red light at Highway 26 while traveling south on Ammon Road. The deputies and officers pursued the vehicle through a construction zone before it turned onto Iona Road and continued through residential properties.
During the chase, the pickup truck was driven through yards and residential areas, reaching speeds over 100 MPH. At one point, a deputy attempted a traffic stop near 25th East and Iona Road but was forced to back off as the vehicle continued at high speed. The truck eventually turned onto Highway 26, then into a neighborhood near Rocky Mountain Middle School, where it turned off its headlights.
The vehicle was later found parked in the Meadow Creek Townhomes apartment complex, where the driver intentionally rammed into two patrol cars, causing damage to both vehicles and a nearby garage. A second deputy attempted to block the pickup’s escape but was unsuccessful. The truck then reversed course, returning the way it came, and continued north on Ammon Road toward Ucon.
The pursuit continued through the construction zone once more before the pickup truck attempted to turn onto Roh Lane from North Yellowstone Highway. However, it failed to make the turn and drove into the canal instead.
Deputies and officers were able to apprehend both the driver and a male passenger. The 13-year-old driver was taken to the 3B Detention Center in Idaho Falls and charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery and felony eluding, as well as misdemeanor charges for leaving the scene of an accident and joyriding. The 15-year-old male passenger was released to his parents but may face charges related to the theft of the pickup truck.
