Clover boy, 13, took grandmother’s car, hit speeds of 70 mph during pursuit, cops say
A 13-year-old boy in Clover driving a family member’s car led police on a pursuit that reached 70 mph Tuesday, officers said.
The child and vehicle were located by York County deputies in a church parking lot north of Clover, police said. No injuries were reported.
The incident started around 6:45 p.m. on Stokes Avenue in the town of Clover, said Clover Police Department Chief Randy Grice. The child took his grandmother’s vehicle without permission, Grice said.
Clover officers caught up with the car after police were called, Grice said.
Officers tried to get the boy to pull over on U.S. 321, also called North Main Street, after a Clover officer saw the vehicle failing to maintain its lane, according to a Clover police report.
Officers tried to make a traffic stop, but the driver reached speeds close to 70 mph so officers stopped the pursuit, Grice said.
“We knew he was too young to have a beginner’s permit or a license and didn’t want him to have a wreck,” Grice said.
The shift sergeant terminated the pursuit for the safety of the community and the child, according to the police report.
Three Clover patrol cars were involved in the chase, the report stated.
York County Sheriff’s Office deputies then located the boy in a church parking lot on U.S. 321 north of Clover, according to Clover police. Clover officers took the boy into custody, police said.
The boy was charged with juvenile summons’ for failure to stop for a blue light and siren, driving without a license, and use of vehicle without permission, according to the Clover police report.
The boy said he was planning to drive to Virginia, the report stated.
A person has to be 15 years old in South Carolina to get a beginner’s permit from S.C. Department of Motor Vehicles.
Driving without a license in South Carolina can be charged as a misdemeanor under state law.
This story was originally published October 23, 2019 at 12:49 PM.
