Teen in Critical Condition After Crashing a Stolen Vehicle Into a VIA Transit Bus in San Antonio
A teenager driving a stolen vehicle crashed into a VIA transit bus at around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 30th. The collision happened at the intersection of Hays and Lockhart Streets on the East Side of San Antonio.
Police had been called about a suspicious vehicle and found it traveling southbound on Lockhart. The 16-year-old boy driving sped up and ran a stop sign when officers pulled up behind him.
The driver then crashed into the side of a VIA bus that was traveling eastbound on Hays Street.
Following the crash, the teenager attempted to flee from San Antonio Police Department officers. He was bleeding heavily from his right arm and only fled for a few minutes before officers were able to apprehend him.
The 16-year-old was taken to a local hospital by EMS and was listed in critical condition due to blood loss. Two passengers on the bus were uninjured, while the bus driver did suffer minor injuries.
The teenager was found with narcotics and a handgun. It was also uncovered that he had an active warrant for his arrest for aggravated assault. He will possibly be charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, unlawfully carrying a handgun, drug charges, and aggravated assault.
He is currently in custody at the hospital and police are trying to get in contact with his family. He will be taken to the Bexar County Juvenile Detention Center after he is released from the hospital.
The Dangers of Joy Rides and Police Pursuits
Stolen cars are frequently taken on joy rides by irresponsible individuals who will generally drive recklessly. Not only does this put others at risk, but also often leads to police pursuits.
What is frequently overlooked is the effects of police pursuits. A high-speed chase puts the public, officers, and the suspect at risk of serious injury or death. This article from the FBI’s Law Enforcement Bulletin points out how officers must weigh the benefits and risks of pursuing a potentially dangerous suspect.
Perhaps not too surprising, the longer a chase goes on, the higher the likelihood that someone will be injured. The official International Association of Chiefs of Police policy recommends that officers only engage if the suspect presents an immediate danger to human life, could cause a serious injury, or can’t be identified enough to be caught later.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality and Injury Reporting System Tool (FIRST), police pursuits resulted in 72 fatal crashes in Texas in 2021 alone. Between 2017-2021, there were a total of 279 fatal crashes in Texas involving police pursuits.
This police pursuits study shows that there was an average of 355 deaths per year from 1996-2015. Of these, 29% included a vehicle not involved in the pursuit while 4% were bystanders. Additionally:
- 15% of pursuits during 2009-2013 ended in a crash.
- 10 out of every 100 pursuits caused minor injuries.
- 2 out of 100 had serious injuries.
- 1 in 200 pursuits caused a fatality.
Unfortunately, there are many who end up with serious injuries or are killed because of a police chase. While there are policies in place to better protect civilians, they still regularly occur even with strict requirements.
Victims and their families also struggle to get compensation due to unclear liability. A 1998 Supreme Court ruling notes that police departments can’t be held civilly liable no matter the circumstances.
Texas does allow victims who aren’t at fault to make a claim against their own insurance. In some cases, the coverage for this type of crash isn’t included in a standard insurance plan and must be bought separately.
Villalobos Law Firm Is Here for You
If you have suffered damages as the result of a serious car accident, reach out to the experienced and determined team at The Villalobos Law Firm.
