A 13-year-old boy driving a stolen car crashed through a fence in Vista on Monday morning, according to the sheriff’s department.
A car was reported stolen on Saturday from a home on the 200-block of Gannet Drive in Vista. Just before 1:30 a.m. Monday , deputies saw vehicle with headlights off and tried to stop driver, who didn't pull over. After a short 1-to-2 minute pursuit, the driver smashed into a fence on the 200-block of East Bobier Drive.
Following the crash, there was a small fire that started in the engine, according to investigators. Deputies smashed out the drivers side window to pull a 13-year-old driver out. While one deputy pulled the boy out of the vehicle, another extinguished the flames.
There is no official word on the boy's condition, but he was taken away by ambulance.
Officials said the boy has been questioned at a sheriff’s station in Vista. Since then the teenager has been booked in Juvenile Hall for vehicle theft, evading an officer and driving without a license.
Vista resident Steve Smith said he heard the incident this morning.
"It was a loud crash, boom, bam," said Smith.
He came outside to see a car had smashed through a fence in his back yard.
"I'd like to know where that kids parents were and what he was doing out at 1:30 in the morning," said Smith, who is spending his morning cleaning up the mess left behind.
The owner of the car that was allegedly stolen and then crashed by a 13-year old said she feels violated.
Monique Torres, 23, says its been a tough past few days. On Saturday morning, she went outside to go to work and found that her car had been stolen from in front of her Vista home. Then this morning, she got a call from sheriff’s investigators telling her that her car was involved in a short pursuit and the driver ended up crashing into a fence.
“I was just like, oh no. I was hoping to find it complete, no damage done, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case,” said Torres.
She said the car was not only her transportation to and from work, but it also had sentimental value. It was her first car, purchased by her father. She said she does not know the 13-year old suspect.
“It’s unbelievable that a teenager, they’re not even old enough to get a permit first of all. I don’t know what to think about it,” said Torres. “Its said that someone so young is involved in those things. For him to be driving my car at 1 o’clock in the morning, it’s just crazy to me.”
Torres says she has insurance and is hoping to soon get the car replaced.
