Driver charged with Grand Theft of motor vehicle and other counts, with passenger facing charge of Obstruction without Violence
The Sarasota Police Department and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a case involving a crash that occurred just before 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 11, in the 900 block of Beneva Road in Sarasota, the Police Department announced.
Two suspects have been arrested; both are juveniles, the Police Department reported.
The driver, 16, is facing charges of Grand Theft of a motor vehicle, Fleeing to Elude, and Obstruction without Violence, the Police Department added. The 15-year-old passenger has been charged with Obstruction without Violence, the Department said.
Late in the afternoon of April 11, both juveniles were being processed at the Sarasota County Jail, the Police Department added.
The Sheriff’s Office is handling the crash investigation, while the Sarasota Police Department is handling the additional criminal investigation, a news release explained.
Prior to the crash, the Police Department continued in its news release,
“Sarasota Police officers received a tip that two suspicious occupants of a vehicle were driving recklessly near the area of 23rd Street and Osprey Avenue” in Sarasota and that they were wearing ski masks. The vehicle was described as a green Kia Sol.
The 900 block of Beneva Road is north of Bahia Vista Street and in the vicinity of Phillippi Creek, a map shows. The area also is just north of the traditionally Amish-Mennonite community of Pinecraft.
Sarasota Police officers subsequently spotted a green Kia Sol in the vicinity of the intersection of Fruitville Road and Beneva Road as the vehicle was traveling east, the release continued.
Before Sarasota Police officers could stop the vehicle, the release added, it exited the city limits and headed into Sarasota County. The vehicle ended up striking a shed, the release said. “No one was injured.”
Additional charges would be forthcoming from the Sheriff’s Office, the release pointed out.
No further information was available prior to the deadline for this issue of The Sarasota News Leader.