Topeka teen arrested after high-speed chase with stolen pickup in Lawrence

LAWRENCE, Kan. (KCTV) - A teenager from Topeka was arrested following an early-morning high-speed chase with a stolen pickup truck around West Lawrence on Black Friday.

The Lawrence, Kansas, Police Department says that around 3 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29, law enforcement officials in the area of 6th and Congressional Dr., near Walmart, spotted an F-150 that had been reported stolen.

When first responders attempted to stop the driver, they said the pickup sped off and spurred a high-speed chase north on Folks Rd. The pursuit circled around a few county roads north of the city then entered city limits again on 6th St. toward Folks. The chase reached speeds of more than 100 mph.

Due to the excessive speeds, law enforcement officials indicated that they chose to disengage as the truck continued out of the city on Highway 40. The vehicle was found near E. 700 and N. 1750 Rd. a short time later by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, however, the driver was not inside.

The Sheriff’s Office noted that a drone searched the nearby wooded area where the vehicle was found. Two teenage girls were found with the truck and were determined to be passengers during the chase. They were turned over to family members.

Just before 6 a.m., the Police Department said a resident reported a teenager had shown up on his property overnight. A deputy from the Sheriff’s Office later found the 17-year-old in question to be the suspect. He was arrested on multiple charges and booked into the juvenile detention facility.

Due to the suspect’s age, no further information has been released.