A 16-year-old was hospitalized early Wednesday morning after police say he crashed a stolen vehicle into a concrete pillar near the entrance to Niagara Falls State Park while attempting to flee from officers.
According to Niagara Falls police, the incident began around 2:10am when an officer spotted a Ford Fusion driving erratically in the area of First Street and Niagara Street. The vehicle was swerving through the roadway and operating without headlights.
Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over and instead sped away officers.
The pursuit lasted only a short distance before the vehicle slammed into a cement pillar near the Main Street and Rainbow Boulevard entrance to Niagara Falls State Park.
Emergency crews from the Niagara Falls Fire Department and AMR responded to the crash scene moments later. The teenage driver was removed from the wrecked vehicle and transported to Golisano Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.
Authorities said the teen suffered a leg injury in the crash. His current condition is unknown.
During the investigation, police determined the Ford Fusion involved in the crash had been reported stolen overnight. The incident remains under investigation by the Niagara Falls Crash Investigation Unit along with juvenile detectives. Criminal charges are expected.
