13-year-old driver crashes allegedly stolen car after pursuit by CHP officers

A 13-year-old boy was arrested Monday by the California Highway Patrol after he allegedly stole a car and led officers on a pursuit in Long Beach with an 8-year-old passenger.

Both occupants were taken to a hospital but were not seriously injured in the incident, which was reported to police by a motorist who saw both children in the car on surface streets in Long Beach.

Authorities were trying to determine to whom the vehicle belonged. The call was routed to the CHP instead of Long Beach police because many 911 calls from cellphones are handled by the CHP.

It was not clear how long the 13-year-old had been driving the car before his exploits were reported to authorities, but the chase eventually ended around 10:20 a.m. when the boy was travelling down Atlantic Avenue and collided with the curb near Armando Drive.

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-- Andrew Blankstein

Photo: The car that was crashed, allegedly by a 13-year-old boy in Long Beach. Credit: KTLA-TV Channel 5