Teen Charged in Virginia State Police Chase

A teen is facing several charges after fleeing from Virginia State Police this week in a stolen car, leading them on a wild chase that ended in a Vienna backyard.

The 17-year-old boy has been charged by state police with possession of a stolen vehicle and one felony count of eluding police, spokeswoman Corrine Geller told Patch. He faces an additional robbery charge in connection with the alleged stolen vehicle.

Read: Virginia State Police Chase Ends in Vienna

According to police, the teen moved to Roanoke from Washington, D.C. in December 2012, and "was a resident of a facility that provides treatment for troubled adolescent males."

The teen could still face additional charges for crimes in the Roanoke area; police are still investigating the case with the Roanoke Commonwealth’s Attorneys Office, according to police.

The teen's alleged hours-long string of crimes began around 1:41 p.m. Tuesday in Roanoke, Va., when the Roanoke Police Department responded to a report of a robbery near the intersection of 1st Street and Day Avenue.

When officers arrived on scene, the 62-year-old victim reported a vehicle had approached her and stopped as a male driver jumped out of the car and grabbed her purse. The driver, who police believe to be the teen, fled.

That vehicle — a Chrysler Cirrus — was apparently also stolen, according to police reports, and Virginia State Police were contacted for help in locating the 17-year-old, who officials believed was driving the car away from Roanoke.

A state trooper spotted the vehicle around 5:53 p.m. on Interstate 66 near Nutley Street in Vienna.

When the trooper attempted to stop the vehicle, it sped away, ultimately winding onto Vienna back roads and crashing into a parked car near the intersection of Hillcrest and Marshall roads.

The teen allegedly hopped out of the car and ran from police on foot.

Vienna Police were called in to set up a search perimeter, and Fairfax County K-9 teams were called to help track the teen down.

Around 6:32 p.m., one of those dogs helped officers locate the suspect in the bushes of a home nearby.

He was taken into custody and held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Residents shared their accounts of the manhunt with Patch. One of them, Janessa James, said she alerted police after seeing the teen run through her back yard.

"We saw some doors open and officers talking to residents. Lots of guns of various sizes were drawn and the dogs were out, too," reader Jeannie Mirani wrote on Facebook.

Residents were asked to stay indoors until the suspect was taken into custody.

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