Teens came in stolen car, targeted Onondaga homes before chase, fatal crash, deputies say

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Town of Onondaga, N.Y. — The two teenage boys and another unidentified person involved in a burglary that turned into a fatal deputy-involved accident arrived in a stolen car and targeted other homes before managing to steal two cars, deputies said.

The three arrived in the area in a car reported stolen from Skaneateles, said Sgt. Jon Seeber, a spokesperson for the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office.

Seeber said the three tried one home and the burglary alarm scared them away. They then tried a second home but couldn’t get in, he said.

At the third home they were able to get in, take car keys and then take off in two Honda CRVS, he said.

The incident began at 11:56 p.m. Tuesday, when deputies were called to the 5000 block of Majors Drive in the town of Onondaga for reports of a burglary that occurred while a resident was at home, according to a news release from the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies arrived and found an open door with the resident inside, they said.

The residents of the home didn’t realize the cars had been taken until deputies knocked on their door, Seeber said.

With the assistance of Syracuse police and the Air 1 helicopter, deputies began searching the area.

While canvassing the area, investigators found the car stolen from Skaneateles parked on the street, deputies said.

At 12:45 a.m. deputies saw two vehicles speeding away, attempted a traffic stop and then began a pursuit of both vehicles while traveling east on West Seneca Turnpike, they said. Both vehicles failed to stop, deputies said. Both vehicles were later determined to be stolen in another burglary in the 4500 block of Broad Road in the town of Onondaga, deputies said.

The vehicles separated when they approached South Salina Street, deputies said. One driver continued east on East Seneca Turnpike while the other driver fled south on South Salina Street, they said.

One of the three involved, Sean Girvin, 16, of Syracuse, crashed in the 300 block of East Seneca Turnpike, deputies said. Girvin has previously been involved in two incidents involving stolen vehicles in the city of Syracuse, Seeber said.

Officers lost sight of Girvin’s Honda and found him after he crashed, deputies said.

The vehicle ran off the road, hit a tree and rolled over several times, ejecting Girvin from the car, deputies said. Deputies said they attempted life-saving measures, but Girvin was declared dead at the scene by paramedics.

Girvin’s crash happened about a mile from where the burglary was reported on Broad Road.

The second vehicle was found on the Onondaga Nation with the assistance of the Air 1 helicopter, deputies said.

The two people in the second vehicle fled on foot after hitting a dead end on Maybee Road, they said.

One was a 14-year-old boy who was caught, deputies said. The boy was charged with second-degree burglary, second-degree attempted burglary, third-degree attempted burglary and fourth-degree grand larceny, deputies said. He was arraigned in Onondaga County Family Court and is being held in the Hillbrook Detention Center, deputies said.

The second person who fled has not been found, deputies said.

The New York Attorney General’s office is conducting a preliminary assessment of the case, a spokesperson said. The AG’s office is required to assess every incident where a law enforcement officer may have caused the death of a person, according to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b.

Staff writer Rylee Kirk covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, photo, question or comment? Reach her at 315-396-5961, on Twitter @kirk_rylee, or rkirk@syracuse.com.

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