Southington police have arrested two Bristol teens who are accused of stealing a car, then hitting a police vehicle and another SUV while fleeing from police.
The investigation started around 8:48 p.m. on Tuesday when police learned that a white 2013 Hyundai Elantra that had been stolen from Bristol was heading into Southington.
Officers found it pulled over to the side of the road at West Queen Street and Newell Street and the driver sped up when police approached, hitting the front of a Southington Police vehicle, police said.
The teen behind the wheel of the Elantra was driving recklessly and police said officers did not chase it when it turned onto Queen Street.
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The driver of the Elantra continued to speed while heading north onto Queen Street, went through a red light at Queen Street and River Street and collided with a Mercedes SUV that was turning from River Street onto Queen Street, police said.
Officers responded to the crash and found both vehicles disabled by the crash with the airbags deployed.
The driver of the Mercedes reported minor injuries but was not taken to the hospital.
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Officers ordered the teens to get out of the stolen Elantra and one did and was taken into custody. The other ran, heading north toward Plainville, police said.
The police department’s drone unit and the police dog Tank responded and the other teen was found behind a business on Birch Drive, police said.
Police arrested a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old who are both from Bristol.
Both young men were charged with interfering, larceny in the third degree and conspiracy to commit assault on a public safety officer.
The 17-year-old was also charged with theft of a motor vehicle, assault on a public safety officer, criminal mischief in the first degree, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, evading responsibility with personal injury and failure to obey a traffic control signal.
Both teens were brought to Hartford Juvenile Detention and are expected to appear in New Britain Juvenile Court on Wednesday.
Police said the police vehicle had minor damage because of a new front-end grill guard.
