13-year-old arrested for allegedly getting involved in hit-and-run with stolen car, fleeing from Cape Coral police

A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on multiple charges after allegedly stealing a car involved in a hit-and-run and then fleeing from Cape Coral police.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, on Saturday at around 9:23 a.m., officers were called to the 1300 block of Everest Parkway.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office requested Cape Coral police to attempt to locate the teen, who was reported missing in their jurisdiction and had possibly stolen a car.

Officers made contact with one of the teen’s family members at the home, who said he had taken off in a white Mercedes SUV. Officers searched neighborhood streets before turning around to go back to the home.

• RELATED: 13-year-old arrested in Collier County after maxing 140 mph during chase

As one officer pulled into the median in front of the house, a car matching the description approached west on Everest Parkway.

That officer saw the teen in the driver’s seat and another juvenile in the passenger seat. The teen continued driving on Everest Parkway.

An officer followed the car, which began to speed up while nearing pedestrians. Officers followed him west to the intersection of Shelby Parkway and Del Prado Boulevard South.

The teen drove through the median to enter the Fifth Third Bank parking lot on Del Prado Boulevard South, striking a curb and taking out shrubbery.

He continued north into the parking lot of a Walgreens, striking another curb and causing the front passenger tire to go flat. The teen continued to flee.

The police department then got a call from a resident on Southeast 33rd Street, who said a white Mercedes SUV crashed into her neighbor’s mailbox, and two juveniles fled on foot.

WINK News spoke with the woman with the broken mailbox. She did not want to share her name but said the mailbox was special to her.

“I looked forever to find that one mailbox that I wanted,” she said. “A man actually put it together, welded it, and put it together.”

“It was just amazement,” said William Curtis, a neighbor. “What are these poor children doing here?”

“There’s kids that live down there,” said Dawn Kuznik, the neighbor who called police. “They could have gotten ran over.”

Officers found the car and started searching for the juveniles when one officer saw movement in a nearby bush and commanded them to come out before detaining them.

The vehicle belonged to the other juvenile’s mother.

The teen has been charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, grand theft auto, reckless driving with damage to property, driving without a license, hit-and-run and resisting officers without violence.