17-Year-Old Arrested for Stealing Tanker Truck

Los Angeles: On June 2, 2004, at about 1:00 a.m., a 17 year-old White male subject entered the Los Angeles City Bureau of Street Services, Asphalt Plant at 12251 Sherman Way in North Hollywood. The subject discovered a diesel tanker truck unlocked with the keys in the glove box. The subject drove the tanker truck and exited the lot.

As the subject drove westbound on Sherman Way, he was involved in numerous hit and run collisions with parked vehicles. Several persons who witnessed the subject’s actions called police. A West Valley Area sergeant was flagged down by a motorist and directed to the subject’s location, at Burbank Boulevard at Valley Circle Boulevard. The sergeant located the truck and attempted to make a traffic stop. The subject refused to yield and a pursuit began. As the subject approached the entrance to the Hidden Hills Community, he lost control and collided with a concrete pillar near a manned guard shack.

The subject sustained multiple serious injuries and was transported to Northridge Hospital by a Los Angeles Fire Department’s Rescue Ambulance.

It was later determined that the subject was a reported runaway from a group home in the Van Nuys Area on June 2, 2004 at 12:45 a.m.

The subject has been arrested for Grand Theft Auto and absentee booked at Northridge Hospital. A petition will be submitted to the District Attorney’s Sylmar Juvenile Hall Office charging the subject with Grand Theft Auto, Hit and Run, and Felony Evading.

West Valley Area Detective Division’s Juvenile Unit is conducting the investigation.

This news release was prepared by Public Information Officer Jason Lee, Media Relations Section, at 213-485-3586.