Police pursuit of stolen vehicle ends in crash with injuries; juvenile charged

KINGSPORT - A juvenile driving a stolen mini-van crashed off Bloomingdale Pike Saturday morning after a brief high-speed chase with a state trooper.

Trooper Nathan Wayne Hall of the Tennessee Highway Patrol said he was driving on Bloomingdale Pike and observed two occupants of a mini-van not wearing a seat belt.

"I activated my blue lights, they took off running and crossed the double yellow line twice, almost hitting two vehicles head on...(but) I don't believe the speeds got over 60-70 miles an hour," Hall said.

The juvenile driver lost control of the vehicle and left the roadway near a creek bed.

Hall said he drew but did not fire his service weapon.

The vehicle occupants had to be extracted by first responders. The passenger was injured and had to be transported to Holston Valley Medical Center.

The juvenile driver was charged with reckless driving and felony evading.

Neither the driver's nor the passenger's names were released.

The mini-van, said Hall, had been stolen from Stonegate two days ago.

"The driver stated he was scared, he did not have a license and that's why he ran," Hall said at the crash scene.