A tween boy in California is facing time in juvenile hall after getting into a car crash. The boy allegedly stole his parents’ car and took it for a joyride. When the police caught wind of it and tried to stop him, he kept driving. This led to a shocking high-speed police chase when he was supposed to be in school. Eventually, the boy stopped but not without some collateral damage to his car and others. Now, the boy is likely going to get a harsher punishment than just a time-out.
Not long after 7 a.m. September 22, 2025, deputies from the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call that a 12-year-old boy had stolen his parents’ car, a news release shared on social media. Officials explained that the tween boy was driving the car to his former school in south Sacramento.
“The vehicle ran over traffic cones before leaving the area,” the sheriff’s office added.
Deputies were able to find the car fairly quickly. They tried a stop, but the boy wasn’t having it and kept driving. According to authorities, he took them on a “short pursuit through the neighborhood.”
“During the incident, the vehicle struck a parked car and one of our patrol units,” the statement noted.
Despite crashing into the cars, no one was injured, the sheriff’s office explained. Deputies were able to catch the tween and take him into custody, bringing him to Sacramento County Juvenile Hall.
Sheriff’s office representative Sgt. Amar Gandhi told the Los Angeles Times that the middle school driver reached speeds of 70 miles per hour, People reported. The tween boy was booked on suspicion of hit and run, assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer, reckless evasion of a peace officer, vehicle theft, and receiving a stolen vehicle, the newspaper reported.
According to the Times, 12 is the minimum age children can be held criminally responsible for charges in juvenile court. Gandhi said the tween likely was released to his parents. Although the adults won’t face charges, if a civil case is filed, they may be expected to pay for damages.
