Police pursuit of stolen SUV leaves juvenile dead, several others hurt

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police say a juvenile was killed in a crash that ended a police pursuit of a stolen SUV Saturday night.

According to police, several other people were also hurt, including two LMPD officers, three other juveniles and an 18-year-old.

A MetroSafe dispatcher told WDRB the incident began as a pursuit around 8:20 p.m. Saturday on I-65 South near Crittenden Drive.

Two LMPD officers crashed on I-65 South, just past the Watterson Expressway, according to LMPD Spokesperson Dwight Mitchell.

Mitchell said LMPD's preliminary investigation revealed the two officers were trying to stop a black Lexus SUV that had been reported stolen.

As officers attempted a traffic stop, the driver of the SUV made an "invasive turn" toward the officers, which caused them to crash their cruisers, according to Mitchell. They were both transported to University Hospital to be treated for minor injuries.

The driver continued south on I-65, exited on Fern Valley Road and headed east before crashing into a utility pole in the 3300 block of Fern Valley Road, Mitchell said.

In an additional statement released Sunday afternoon, police said "another officer encountered the suspect vehicle driving at a high rate of speed, approximately 3.5 miles away, on I-65 southbound near Fern Valley Road."

When the officer tried to pull over the SUV, the suspect fled again, exiting I-65 onto Fern Valley Road with the officer still in pursuit. The suspect then lost control of the SUV in the 3300 block of Fern Valley Road, left the road, striking a utility pole and coming to a rest upside down in a ditch.

Four of the suspects inside the stolen SUV were juveniles, police said Sunday. One of those passengers, who died at the scene, was a juvenile. The name of the juvenile who died has not yet been released.

The three other passengers were taken to University Hospital. Police say one of the passengers, an 18-year-old, is in critical condition, and charges against them are pending. Three of the juveniles were charged with receiving stolen property. Police say other charges will be "contemplated and levied as the investigation continues."

One passenger fled on foot from the vehicle at the scene, but was taken into custody a short distance away, according to police.

All lanes of I-65 South near Crittenden Drive were closed for several hours.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing by LMPD's Public Integrity Unit and LMPD's Traffic Unit.