AUSTIN (KXAN) – Five teens were taken to Dell Children’s Hospital late Monday night after a crash in South Austin police are calling a “joyride gone wrong.”
Austin Police said at 11 p.m. officers spotted a Nissan truck on South 1st Street. The truck was reported stolen earlier Monday. When officers tried to pull the truck over, the driver took off and crashed into a telephone pole, which broke in half at South 1st and Stassney Lane. Then the truck flipped over and ended up on top of a red Honda.
Austin-Travis County EMS says the teens were taken to Dell Children’s Hospital after two of them were ejected from the vehicle and the other two passengers were pinned in. Three of them have serious life-threatening injuries. Austin police say the two people inside the red Honda were not hurt.
“Go to a pool instead, don’t steal cars. If you happen to find yourself in a stolen car, pull over, don’t run from police because you could hurt yourself or somebody else,” said Sgt. Noel Guerin, Austin police.
The northbound lanes of South First and one southbound lane have reopened, but there is no estimated time when the other southbound lane will reopen. Crews are working to repair the telephone pole.
Witness Katy Smith said she saw police screaming at the truck and rolling out spike strips. “I heard this loud huge explosion and I just saw pieces going up to the power lines and I thought what in the world just happened.”
Police do not believe alcohol was a factor. They think it was a lack of driving experience during the chase and high speeds that caused the crash.