UPDATED with more on teen suspects
Two teenage boys, including one who escaped from a juvenile detention center, were in a stolen Kia that crashed in Kirkwood after leading police on a chase from O'Fallon, Mo., authorities said.
The two boys, both 16 years old, were treated for moderate injuries. They crashed about 1 a.m. Wednesday near Big Bend Road, on the off-ramp from Interstate 270 in Kirkwood, more than 20 miles from where the chase began.
The stolen car, a Kia Forte, hit two utility poles and caught fire. The boys ran off after the crash. O'Fallon police Sgt. Bryan Harr said police brought in a police dog, which tracked the boys' scent and led officers to the two 16-year-olds.Â
One of the boys tracked by the dog had escaped from a juvenile detention facility in north ºüÀêÊÓƵ County.
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Aa third person police believe was in the ca hasn't been captured, Harr said.
Wednesday's pursuit began after a resident in O'Fallon called police about 12:40 a.m. to say she saw four juveniles rummaging through cars at Southernside Apartments. The complex, at 200 Southernside Lane, is west of Highway K.
Police in O'Fallon spotted a white Kia Forte leaving the apartment complex; when they ran the license plate, they found that the car had been stolen in ºüÀêÊÓƵ County.
They chased it onto Technology Drive near Winghaven Boulevard. A police officer in pursuit told dispatchers he saw three people in the car and that someone tossed something from the car as it sped toward Highway 40.Â
The chase went east into ºüÀêÊÓƵ County, with police trying to scramble a helicopter to monitor the movements. Police set up spike strips on Highway 40 (Interstate 64), west of I-270. It wasn't immediately clear if the spike strips worked; the car sped south on I-270, then crashed near the exit ramp to Big Bend.
Somewhere along I-270, O'Fallon police lost sight of the speeding Kia and stopped the chase, but soon learned that the stolen car had crashed, Harr said.
The Forte hit two curbs and went airborne before hitting two poles, the Missouri Highway Patrol said.
Fire Chief Jim Silvernail of the Kirkwood Fire Department said the occupants were already out of the vehicle when firefighters arrived.
The two boys suffered moderate injuries and were taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital ºüÀêÊÓƵ in Creve Coeur, the Missouri Highway Patrol said. The patrol did not identify either boy by name.
Harr said that once the boys are released from the hospital, they will be turned over to juvenile authorities to face charges of second-degree tampering, resisting arrest and careless and imprudent driving.