Troubled Teen Steals Car—Utah Woman Killed

0 Comments

A troubled teen recently escaped from a Utah youth facility and eventually ended up causing a car crash that ended with a Utah woman’s death.

Photo: Andy Rusch

The 17-year-old somehow was able to walk away from the Provo Canyon School, a facility for troubled teens. He allegedly spent part of the next few hours breaking into someone’s house and stealing a car.

Breaking and Entering

When a Provo man returned to his home, he stated that he knew something was wrong. Things were out place, and then he heard a noise coming from upstairs. When he went up to his bedroom, he found the teen. After some calm discussion, the teen left the home and the homeowner called police.

Before law enforcement could arrive, the young man took off. At some point, he found an unlocked SUV with the keys in it. Police had been alerted to the theft, and when the car was spotted officers attempted to pull it over.

The teen kept driving and tried to evade police, eventually reaching a speed of 100 mph, police believe. The young man ran into the back of another car, with the impact killing the passenger and sending the driver to the hospital.

Investigation

The troubled teen was booked into a local detention center while he’s being investigated for manslaughter, vehicle theft and burglary.

Since the young man is still a juvenile, his name has not been released. Except under specific circumstances, cases involving minors are normally first filed in juvenile court. Even though this case involved a death, it will not necessarily go to adult district court.

Contacting a Utah Juvenile Defense Attorney

Regardless of the charges a troubled teen is facing, he should always be represented by an experienced Utah juvenile defense attorney. Let a top attorney handle your child’s legal difficulties while you help take care of his other needs. Make that important call today.