A reckless joyride through the streets of Wilson ended June 25 with the arrest of five juveniles.
Wilson police officers and Carter County sheriff’s deputies pursued the joyriders after receiving complaints of a gray Toyota Tundra pickup truck running stop signs and speeding near Seventh and Grandfield streets.
The authorities finally stopped the vehicle, confirmed stolen from a Healdton residence, at the corner of Hewitt Road and 14th Street.
All five juvenile occupants, including the 13-year-old male driver, two other 13-year-old males, a 17-year-old male and a 12-year-old female, were taken into custody and transported to the Oklahoma Juvenile Authority in Ardmore.
Multiple charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, joyriding and a single count of possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia are pending.
Wilson Police Chief Felix Hernandez said his investigation led him to believe the juveniles were involved in two more joyriding incidents earlier that same day.
He also discovered evidence implicating three of the juveniles in other incidents of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, including a truck that belongs to Wilson Schools.
In all the vehicles except the school truck, Hernandez said keys were left in the ignition.
He encourages all Wilson residents to remove their keys from their vehicles when not in use.
Additional charges are pending against two of the juveniles after they confessed to other activities, including burglary of the Wilson swimming pool snack bar and vandalism of the pool itself.
phil.banker@ardmoreite.com
Phil Banker 221-6542
