EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio — East Cleveland police arrested a 16-year-old after he was spotted driving a stolen car, tried to flee from officers and then crashed the car and ran off, only to be caught a short time later after leaving footprints in the snow that led police right to him.
It happened Tuesday just before 1:30 a.m. in the 16000 block of Euclid Avenue.
According to an East Cleveland police report, officers saw the teen come out of a gas station and run to his car. The teen drove off, and in the process nearly struck the officer's vehicle. The officer reported the plates back to dispatch and the car came back stolen. The officer then gave chase.
"After a short pursuit, the young driver (juvenile) did not play enough Grand Theft Auto to get his driving skills together, as he crashed into a bank of snow very quickly," police said in a Facebook post.
The teen then jumped out of the car and ran off through the snow.
"He did not know that you tend to leave 'footprints' after freshly running through the snow. I know what you are thinking; he was just a good person, on his way in his fresh carjacked, to go help his grandmother out by shoveling her drive," police said in the Facebook post. "I realize that we are 'thirsty' and need to stop this whole enforcing the law thing."
Officers followed the footprints right up to the teen.
"In one of the politest arrests I think I have ever seen, who says you cannot be arrested with a 'smile,' the officer quickly had the juvenile in custody," police said in the Facebook post.
It was also discovered that the teen was wanted felony aggravated murder. News 5 has reached out to police for information regarding the homicide.
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