WILLOUGHBY, Ohio — Three teenagers who police said were trying to dine and dash took a Buffalo Wild Wings employee on a wild ride Sunday night — one that could have killed her.
Kayla Sherman was working at the Willoughby restaurant Sunday night. Police said three teenagers came into the restaurant and asked for a table, but ordered food to go. When the food came, they left without paying.
“I saw our manager kind of taking off through the front door, saying, 'I’m going to call police,' so I went running out there with him,” explained Sherman.
Police Det. Lt. John Begovic said the manager was trying to get the license plate number but one of the teenagers ripped the temporary tag from the window. Begovic said Sherman and another employee were near the car when he said the 16-year-old driver started driving, knocking Sherman onto the hood of the car. The driver, he said, took off with Sherman hanging on.
“They had a sunroof, they were throwing things out of the sunroof at me,” explained Sherman. Another employee, she said, was hanging onto the door of the car. Police said he let go in the shopping plaza parking lot. Police dash cam video shows people pointing police in the direction of the white BMW.
In the police video, Sherman can been seen hanging on to the car in the parking lot, but the situation got worse. Police said the driver turned onto Euclid Avenue driving at a high rate of speed.
“It was absolutely one of the most terrifying moments of my life,” explained Sherman.
“At speeds at 60 miles per hour, the busiest intersection in Lake County is 91 and 20. It’s dark,” explained Begovic. The Willoughby officer attempted to stop the teen driver, but she kept going. Begovic said the officer realized it was too dangerous and turned his lights off as he followed behind the car.
“At one point, they said we’ll just take you on the highway and they laughed about it knowing my body would not be able to hold on at that speed,” explained Sherman. Begovic said the driver headed toward Wickliffe. The driver turned down a side street and Sherman was able to get off the car. The dash cam video shows Sherman walking up to the officer who helps her into a warm patrol car.
“As Wickliffe police units arrived on scene saw the car, the car tried eluding from Wickliffe police and got stuck in a snow mound,” explained Begovic. The 16-year-old driver and her two 17-year-old friends were then arrested.
“We’re grateful nobody got seriously injured,” added Begovic.
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