11-year-old joyrides car into Whitby backyard after high speed police chase

A high speed chase through Whitby last night stopped an 11-year-old driver after they crashed through a fence into a home’s backyard and almost hit an officer head-on in an attempt to flee.

Durham police were called around 6:30 p.m March 20 about a possibly impaired driver leaving the Taunton Road and Thickson Road gas station. The car, a Hyundai, was registered to an address in Brooklin.

As officers drove the owner’s home, the car passed them on Anderson Street driving at least 150 km/h. The cops turned their emergency equipment on, u-turned and started to chase the car.

The Hyundai turned onto Fawcett Avenue and lost control. It drove through a fence and into a backyard. The car tried to get back on the road from the yard, almost striking the responding officer.

Police sent a second cruiser to the scene. The two cruisers were able to pin the car on Anderson Street, but smashed through another fence in the process.

The driver, 11, was released into his mother’s custody. A passenger, 12, was released to his father.

No one was injured in the pursuit or the pinning. However, police describe “lots of property damage to several fences and the Hyundai they took.” One of the cruisers received minor damage as well.

Photo on Facebook by Colin Williamson.