Man, Teen Girls Steal SUV, Crash Into Pole In River North
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A joyride in a stolen Lexus ended in a crash in River North that left a 14-year-old girl in critical condition, and a man and another teenage girl behind bars.
Police said two 14-year-old girls and a 24-year-old man stole the Lexus sport-utility vehicle from the 800 block of North Hudson Avenue, a block of rowhouses that are among the last buildings from the Cabrini-Green public housing development.
The owner of the stolen SUV called police after he spotted one of the underage teen girls driving it. A police chase ensued and at some point, the man got behind the wheel, police said.
The drove a few blocks to River North and first slammed into a parked car at Wells Street and Chicago Avenue, near the Chicago Avenue Brown-Purple Line 'L' stop. They then hit a pole in front of Gino's East pizzeria, on the southeast corner of Erie and Wells streets.
Police said the three -- two 14-year-old girls and a 24-year-old man -- stole a Lexus from the 800 block of Hudson Avenue, crashed into a parked car at Wells and Chicago, and ultimately struck a pole at the southeast corner of Erie and Wells about 11 a.m.
One of the teens was pinned-in after the SUV smashed into a pole, police said.
She was taken to Northwestern Memorial hospital in critical condition, according to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford. There were no other injuries.
The man and the uninjured 14-year-old girl were taken into police custody, while the injured teen was under police guard at the hospital.
Charges were pending early Tuesday afternoon.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
