Teen involved in pursuit seriously injured in crash

A 17-year-old sent police officers from two cities on a chase that started in the Valley and ended in downtown Spokane with the teen going to the hospital.

The minor was driving a stolen 1991 Ford Probe and once a Spokane Valley Police cruiser turned around to follow him near Sprague Avenue and Havana Street, he took off west down Sprague, said Spokane Valley Police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The teen accelerated to 80 miles per hour, and as he approached downtown, Spokane Police set out spike strips to try and stop him. The car hit the strips, but kept going.

Eventually he lost control of the car near Sprague Avenue and Browne Street and hit a parked truck. The Probe spun around and hit a light pole and fire hydrant, which nearly tore the car in half, Reagan said.

When officers arrived, they found the boy crawling out of the passenger door, unable to move his legs.

At a downtown hospital, he was later found to have a broken leg and pelvis. Nobody else was injured in the crash and pursuit.

The 17-year-old minor faces a felony count of evading police, and will likely face other charges relating to the vehicle theft once he is released from the hospital, Reagan said.