KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A group of middle school students stole and wrecked a minivan on Monday, according to a witness.

The witness was standing outside a relative's house on Chestnut Avenue near East 46th Street and watched as police following a minivan that had been stolen from the area of East 45th Street and Prospect Avenue.

The driver tried to make a left turn onto East 46th Street and hit a utility pole.

After the wreck, the people in the minivan tried to run away, but police took them into custody.

The five people were all students at Westport Middle School, the witness said.

Police had four of them in handcuffs at the scene on Monday evening.

The fifth student, a boy, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

Police had the intersection cordoned off at 6 p.m. because there was a live wire down as a result of the wreck.

Parents were showing up at the scene to find out if the students involved were their children.