13-year-old leads police on wild chase with hit-and-run in Cape Coral
Provided to WBBH
CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A 13-year-old was arrested Saturday on multiple charges after stealing a car and fleeing from police in Cape Coral.
Around 9 a.m., The Lee County Sheriff's Office requested Cape Coral police to find Lukis Ayala, 13, who was reported missing and had potentially stolen a car.
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At a residence on Everest Parkway, one of Ayala's family members informed officers that he had sped off in a white Mercedes SUV.
While both the relative and police searched the neighborhood for Ayala, a white SUV matching the prior description was spotted heading west on Everest Parkway. Ayala was seen in the driver's seat, with another juvenile in the passenger seat.
An officer turned on the emergency lights and followed the SUV, which accelerated while nearing pedestrians walking along the road.
The teenager drove through a median and entered the Fifth Third Bank parking lot on Del Prado Boulevard South, colliding with a curb and bushes.
Continuing north into the Walgreens parking lot, the SUV hit another curb, resulting in the front right tire going flat. Despite that, Ayala still persisted in his flee from officers.
The Cape Coral Police Department received a report from a resident on SE 33rd Street stating that a white Mercedes SUV crashed into her mailbox, and two teenagers fled from the vehicle.
After officers located the vehicle, they heard rustling from a nearby bush. Ayala and the other teen were ordered to come out and were then detained.
Police have not released the name of the accompanying juvenile; however, they determined that the stolen car belonged to their mother.
Aylala was taken to the Lee County Juvenile Assessment Center.
He faces charges including aggravated fleeing and eluding, grand theft auto, resisting officers without violence, reckless driving with property damage, and two counts of hit-and-run.
NBC2 reported on a prior case in June 2022 regarding Ayala's involvement in a Cape Coral gun theft.
