16-year-old charged in 14-year-old’s death following crash involving stolen vehicle

A 16-year-old has been charged with criminal vehicular homicide and driving a stolen vehicle after a 14-year-old was killed in a crash.

According to a court petition, at 5:15 p.m. on Monday police saw a 2018 Toyota Camry leaving a parking lot at 444 Maryland Avenue in St. Paul. Police realized this was a stolen vehicle reported out of Blaine on Dec. 4.

Police attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle, however, it fled and the police did not initiate a pursuit.

The vehicle was spotted again a few minutes later on Maryland Avenue. Despite police not activating their lights, the vehicle fled again at a high rate of speed. The Toyota struck another vehicle at Hyacinth Avenue and Rice Street before continuing on and finally crashing near Rose Avenue W. and Sylvan Street.

Teen dies at hospital after stolen car flips in St. Paul

At the scene, officers found a 14-year-old laying next to the overturned vehicle and saw two suspects running away from the scene. Officers also noted a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle

The 14-year-old was taken to the hospital in critical condition where he later died. He was identified as Eh Da Lay of St. Paul.

At the scene of the crash, K-9 officers tracked down the 16-year-old hiding behind an air conditioner on Geranium Avenue W.

The 16-year-old was taken to a hospital where he was overheard telling a nurse that he was driving the car at 120 miles per hour and crashed it. He also stated that he had taken two Xanax pills before driving.

When police came in to interview the suspect he denied driving the vehicle and said his friend was driving.

At the same time the first suspect was located, a second suspect was found on Albermarle Street.

The second suspect told police that the 16-year-old had been driving the vehicle and stated that the driver was smoking marijuana in the vehicle.

In a later interview with the 16-year-old suspect, he admitted to driving the vehicle, stating that he saw there were police behind him and he decided to speed up and try to lose them. He said he knew the vehicle was stolen and that he’d received it from a friend who he refused to name.

Editors note: KSTP does not name suspects charged as juveniles.