Teens injured after fleeing from police

COLUMBIA — Two boys were injured in an accident at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday after fleeing from Ashland police.

Officer Terry Toalson of the Ashland Police Department tried to pull over a 1997 Ford Taurus because he clocked the vehicle driving more than 80 mph east on Route Y, Chief Scott Robbins of the Ashland Police Department said.

The driver, a 16-year-old Columbia boy, did not yield to Toalson. During the pursuit that followed, the car swerved badly across both sides of the road, Robbins said.

Robbins said Toalson stopped chasing the car near the eastern city limits of Ashland because the bad driving made it dangerous to continue the pursuit.

“He had pulled back, and the vehicle was not in view when it went off the road,” Robbins said. He said Toalson was reporting the chase and following from a distance when he saw the car had gone off the road and was on its top.

Neither the driver nor the passenger, a 14-year-old Ashland boy, were wearing a seat belt.

Trooper Anthony C. Helfrecht of the Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to the accident. Both boys were taken to University Hospital. They were treated for moderate injuries and released.

Toalson said there are criminal charges pending, but he couldn’t elaborate because juveniles are involved.