Teen Girl Leads Nebraska Troopers on High-Speed Chase

High Speed Car Chase Juveniles in High Speed Car Chase Nebraska Nissan Pathfinder firearm marijuana drug paraphernalia two cheerleaders dead after car crash police pursuit turned deadly louisiana Maggie Dunn Caroline Gill Brusly High School Nebraska Law on Minors Driving learner's permit Addis Police officer David Cauthron Police unit collision

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Jan 23, 10:05 am

A 13-year-old girl leads Nebraska troopers on a 100mph car chase with an 11-year-old boy in the passenger seat.

Two juveniles are now in protective custody following the 16-minute high-speed chase in Bounty County, People reported.

At around 9:30 P.M. on Monday, a Nissan Pathfinder was spotted by authorities traveling on Interstate 80 at 35 miles per hour. A trooper attempted a routine traffic stop near Kearney city. However, the car "accelerated and fled at a high rate of speed," exceeding a hundred miles per hour.

Firearms and marijuana found

"Another trooper was able to successfully deploy stop sticks at mile marker 288 to slow the vehicle. The suspect vehicle then exited I-80 at the Shelton interchange and began traveling northbound at slower speeds. A short time later, the trooper was able to successfully perform a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop," according to the statement from State Patrol Nebraska.

Both teens were taken into custody without any other incidents. However, authorities found a firearm, a small amount of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia inside the vehicle.

As per Nebraska's Department of Motor Vehicles, teenagers can only be eligible to apply for a driver's learner permit starting 60 days before they reach the age of 15. They will only be allowed to drive when an adult at least 21 years old is in the passenger seat.

Police pursuit turned deadly

This high-speed chase came just two weeks after a police chase caused the death of two teenagers in Louisiana.

Two high school cheerleaders, Maggie Dunn, 17, and Caroline Gill, 15, from Brusly High School, were unable to celebrate New Year's as they were both killed in a crash after a high-speed pursuit of a home-invasion suspect on the eve of New Year's.

Addis Police officer David Cauthron, 42, was reported to have been chasing 24-year-old Tyquel Zanders, who was later charged with home invasion, theft of a vehicle, and aggravated flight, at 86 miles per hour without hitting his brakes before the collision. Witnesses even said he ran a red light on display for 20 seconds.

The police unit collided with the cheerleader's vehicle pushing it into the middle of the highway.

Aside from the two cheerleaders, Maggie's brother Liam Dunn was also in the car and was left in critical condition with a broken femur, tabula, left wrist, and a fractured skull. Two weeks later, he went through surgery. The victims were supposed to go to a store minutes away from home.

According to WBRZ-TV, police officer Cauthron was arrested and is currently facing charges with two counts of negligent homicide and one count of negligent injuring.

He was released from jail a week after the crash after paying a $100,000 bond.

District Attorney Tony Clayton assured the public that they would follow the facts.

Clayton expressed that he could not understand why Cauthron was driving at a very high speed in pursuit of Zander's vehicle, to the point where he was not aware anymore of the risk he was causing the other drivers on the road. The teenagers not being able to start the New Year is "inexcusable," he added.

Clayton concluded with a reminder to police officials that if the pursuit involves putting human lives in danger, especially innocent ones, it is not worth the risk.