INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two teens who police said carjacked a man at his Fort Pierce residence, drove north and crashed while fleeing from deputies, were arrested late Thursday. The juveniles, ages 13 and 15, were traveling more than 90 mph along westbound 17th Street to U.S. 1, law enforcement officials said.
“The vehicle was taken to our evidence compound and will be turned over to the Fort Pierce Police Department for further processing,” Indian River County sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Kevin Jaworski said. “We won’t know if the firearm (used during the carjacking) is in there until after they are done.”
The Flock Safety license plate reader camera system tracked the black GMC Arcadia as it headed north on U.S. 1 into Indian River County, Jaworski said. The teens were not hurt in the crash, Jaworski said.
“Flock alerted us the vehicle was in our county,” Jaworski said. “This gave us valuable time to coordinate our response and get our helicopter up. Deputies monitored Flock and received several alerts as the vehicle moved around the county.”
The boys were each charged with carjacking and robbery and taken to the Department of Juvenile Justice in St. Lucie County, Fort Pierce police said.
The incident unfolded when Fort Pierce officers responded to reports of a robbery and carjacking about 10:18 p.m. Thursday at a home in the 800 block of South 6th Street. Police learned a 47-year-old man drove to his residence and was ambushed by two teenagers wearing hoodies.
“One of the males brandished a firearm and stole the victim’s wallet,” police said in a statement. “Both of the suspects then fled in the victim’s SUV.”
Fort Pierce police notified surrounding law enforcement agencies. The Flock Safety system signaled deputies that the GMC was traveling in Indian River County.
When deputies attempted a traffic stop on the SUV about 11:49 p.m., the driver sped off but eventually crashed, police said. Deputies detained and arrested the teenagers.