MOSES LAKE – Monday morning at around 1:30 a.m., a vehicle was stolen by four Moses Lake juveniles between the ages of 13 to 15 on Bong Loop in Moses Lake. The car was called in as stolen, according to Grant County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Kyle Foreman.  

“I don't know the answer of how the vehicle was stolen as that was not written in the report,” Foreman said. “However, I was told that the shrouding around the steering column had been removed in order for the vehicle starter system to be bypassed.” 

GCSO Deputies soon found the vehicle on Patton Boulevard approaching State Route 17. Deputies attempted to make a traffic stop, but the vehicle took off north on SR 17. 

“At the junction of State Route 17 and State Route 282 Ephrata Police Department tried spike strips. The vehicle avoided the spike strips and turned north and continued north on State Route 17 at about 110 miles an hour,” Foreman said.  

The vehicle continued at 110 miles per hour for a few miles before leaving the roadway and rolling four times, according to Foreman. The pursuit ended at around 1:50 a.m. Sunday. None of the four occupants of the vehicle, two females and two males, were wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.  

“Our deputies do see a lot of incidents that involve juveniles, and this one could have turned out much, much worse,” Foreman said.  

Two juveniles were transported by ground to a local hospital and the other two were flown via air ambulance due to the severity of their injuries.  

“We are certainly concerned that we are seeing trends involving boys and girls who are under the age of 15 and that trend is extremely concerning,” Foreman said.  

GCSO wants to remind parents to stay involved in their juveniles' lives.  

“We're encouraging parents to try and be a part or continue to be a part of their children's lives,” Foreman said. “Ask them who they're hanging out with. Ask them what they're doing. Keep an eye on the company they keep. If they notice anything changing, talk to their children, talk to their kids, so they can help them make decisions at 13, 14, and 15 years old. These are formative years when kids need that guidance from parents or good mentoring.” 

Foreman said he has yet to receive updates on the condition of the four juveniles.  

There will be charges pursued against the four juveniles, Foreman said. The charges include possession of a stolen vehicle, second-degree theft and felony eluding. 

Washington State Patrol is handling the investigation because GCSO was involved in the pursuit.    

The responding agencies included GCSO, Moses Lake Police Department, Ephrata PD, Lifeline Ambulance, Life Flight Network, Airlift Network and Grant County Fire District 7.