6 juveniles charged in chase, car crash

Police say they found weapons, masks, gloves, marijuana in stolen car

“It is deeply concerning when we see young individuals engaging in such reckless and dangerous behavior. The combination of stolen property, drugs, and firearms poses a serious threat not only to themselves but to the community at large.”

— Press release from Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido

A half-dozen teens have been charged with crimes in juvenile court for allegedly fleeing Eastpointe police, resisting arrest and possessing two firearms and marijuana, according to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido.

A 14-year-old was arraigned by Juvenile Referee Linda Harrison on eight felonies and three misdemeanors, and a 16-year-old was charged with four felonies in connection with the incident early Wednesday morning, Lucido said in a news release. The four remaining suspects face court hearings at a later date.

The incident occurred after police responded at about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday to a report of three males looking at a vehicle parked in the driveway in the area of North Park and Grove avenues northwest of Nine Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue. Upon officers’ arrival, the boys jumped into the car they arrived in — a silver Hyundai with a broken rear window and no license plates that was reported stolen — and the car sped away. Officers said they activated their emergency lights and sirens, but the driver did not stop. The pursuit ended when the Hyundai crashed near 10 Mile Road a block east of Gratiot.

Investigators searched the vehicle and found two semi-automatic handguns, marijuana, multiple ski masks and gloves, prosecutors said.

The 14-year-old juvenile was charged with receiving and concealing a firearm, possession of burglary tools, fleeing police, carrying a concealed weapon, altering identification marks on a firearm, resisting arrest, felony firearm possession, marijuana possession, operating a vehicle with a driver’s license and curfew violation, according to prosecutors. The first two charges carry 10-year maximum terms, and the final three are misdemeanors with maximum terms one year or less.

The 16-year-old is charged with carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest, felony firearm possession and altering marks on a firearm, prosecutors said.

“It is deeply concerning when we see young individuals engaging in such reckless and dangerous behavior,” Lucido said in the release. “The combination of stolen property, drugs, and firearms poses a serious threat not only to themselves but to the community at large.