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Two teens heldafter epic chase

Greg Massé

Two separate, but related, car chases in Garfield County led to the jailing of Glenwood Springs-area teens on Monday. Police believe two boys, ages 15 and 16, stole the cars. Glenwood Springs police chief Terry Wilson said his officers believe there was also a third car stolen and abandoned before the two chases ensued. Garfield County sheriff’s deputies initiated the first chase about 3:45 a.m. Monday on Interstate 70 near Parachute. The deputies spotted the two cars, which were reported stolen from Glenwood Springs and Carbondale. The Garfield County Sheriff’s Office began the chase on the westbound lanes of I-70 when deputies spotted the cars racing at speeds up to 100 mph on the highway. The pursuit soon crossed into Mesa County and onto Colorado Highway 65 to the town of Mesa, at the base of Grand Mesa. Deputies lost sight of one vehicle, but continued chasing the other one, a Toyota Camry stolen from Carbondale, the sheriff’s office reported.The suspect eventually turned around and again headed toward I-70, but the Colorado State Patrol deployed a tack strip to deflate tires, bringing the car to a stop. The teenager took off on foot, but was finally captured after a three-hour foot chase. He was brought to Garfield County Jail, where he was awaiting a hearing in front of Judge Thomas Ossola. Around 5:45 a.m., the second car, a Dodge Neon stolen from Glenwood Springs, was seen traveling east on I-70 near Rifle. It was later seen in Glenwood Springs, and another chase was on. Glenwood Springs police and Garfield County sheriff’s deputies reported that they chased the vehicle at speeds of up to 85 mph on West Midland Avenue. “The kid was driving so crazy, we backed off,” Wilson said. Garfield County sheriff’s deputies eventually located the vehicle and driver a few miles up Four Mile Road. The suspected car thief was apprehended at 8:20 a.m. The teens, whose identities were not released because they are minors, both face charges of vehicular eluding, reckless driving, obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest and theft by receiving. “It sounds like all three – or at least two – of the cars had keys in them,” Wilson said. “We’ve gotta quit making it so easy; we’ve gotta quit leaving cars around with ignition keys in them.”Contact Greg Massé: 945-8515, ext. 511gmasse@postindependent.com


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