Terrence Byrd
Colby Daniel
Jeffery Thomas
Three adults and two minors are in custody after a car chase in stolen vehicles led to both vehicles being crashed on Sunday morning.
A burglary was reported on Saturday, where unknown suspects entered a house at night, stole a purse with keys to two vehicles (a 4runner and a Toyota Tacoma), and then took the vehicles themselves. The next day, police said they spotted both vehicles and attempted to pull them over. However, both cars tried to flee, causing a pursuit. This pursuit ended with both vehicles being wrecked.
Police said they saw “multiple occupants” flee one of the vehicles. The driver was a 16-year-old, who was detained. The crashed Tacoma had four occupants, who were also detained. Terrence Byrd, Colby Daniel, Jeffery Thomas and one other juvenile were those taken into custody.
Police said the 16-year-old signed his Miranda Rights form, and said he was not driving the 4runner. Police said body camera footage showed him coming out of the driver’s seat after the wreck.
Byrd said he was just picked up and did not know who was driving the vehicle. The other minor was another 16-year-old, and police said he admitted to stealing and driving the vehicle. The stolen gun found inside was his. He told police he found the vehicle unlocked with the keys inside but police said that did not match the facts. Daniel said he, like Byrd, was just picked up and in a passenger seat.
Byrd, 23, of 1020 W. 37th St.; Daniel, 18, of 7711 Wimberly Dr., and Thomas, 22, of 35 Frawley Road, East Ridge, are all facing aggravated burglary and theft over $10,000.