INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — A 14-year-old boy took off in his parents’ vehicle and led deputies on a 10-minute chase after an argument with his mother about his girlfriend, officials said. As the boy fled, the vehicle’s door struck the woman, causing her to fall backwards onto the ground.
The Sebastian teenager was charged with aggravated battery and aggravated assault. He was booked into the Indian River County Jail and then transferred to the Department of Juvenile Justice; his booking photo was not available.
A deputy went to the scene about 4 p.m. Jan. 26 at Aaron’s furniture store in the 4900 block of 20th Street. Upon arrival, deputies saw a teenager in the driver’s seat of a green Jaguar and his father standing in front of the vehicle flagging down the deputy.
The father and deputy told the teenager to stop, and the deputy blocked the entrance to the parking lot with his patrol car. The teenager stepped on the gas and the father jumped back to avoid being hit.
The teenager drove east in the parking lot, went through the grass, over the sidewalk and back onto 20th Street going eastbound, deputies said. The deputy followed the vehicle, but then lost sight of it because of heavy traffic and the vehicle’s high rate of speed.
The rate of speed was not available.
A second deputy spotted the vehicle going north on 27th Avenue and followed it to Potilla Avenue. The teenager then slammed on the brakes, got out, put his hands on top of the vehicle and then behind his back, deputies said.
Deputies detained the teenager and spoke with his father, who said the teen and the mother were arguing in the parking lot beforehand. The teenager told deputies his mom was upset with him because he was on his cellphone with his girlfriend.
The teenager said his father went inside the store to return a video game when the teen followed him, took the keys and went back to the vehicle to start it. The furniture store also sells video game consoles, according to store employees.
When the parents went to the passenger side door and opened it, the teenager put the vehicle in reverse, causing the mom to be struck by the door and fall down, deputies said.
When asked why he fled, the teenager told deputies he “got scared and drove off” after seeing the patrol car.