Teen charged after flight from police in stolen car ended in crash near University of Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis teenager is accused of fleeing police in a stolen vehicle near the University of Minnesota campus Sunday, causing a crash involving two other vehicles .

Five people were arrested after the crash and one officer was injured during the arrests, the University of Minnesota Police Department said.

The 16-year-old is charged with fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle and possession of burglary or theft tools, according to a juvenile petition filed Monday.

U of M police patrolling near campus saw a vehicle "make a reckless lane change" right in front of their car just after 1 a.m. Sunday, the petition states. After the driver also ran a red light and turned in front of another vehicle that had the right of way, the officers activated their squad's lights and siren and attempted to pull the driver over.

On Fourth Street Southeast, the driver turned into an alley between 15th and 14th avenues and sped away, the petition said. After exiting the other end of the alley, the driver ran another red light and hit a vehicle, causing their car to flip. The vehicle then struck another car before flipping back over and hitting a lamppost.

Police saw someone run from the driver's seat — later identified as the 16-year-old — and chased him down. Officers found a screwdriver in his pocket while searching him, and he admitted two phones found in the crashed car belonged to him, the petition states.

Investigators said there was evidence the center console of the crashed vehicle had been pried open, and the vehicle was reported stolen in April.

The 16-year-old is the only person yet charged.