A common mistake led to an uncovering of prior misdeeds and a string of future mischief by a Sioux Falls teen.

Sioux Falls Police Public Information Officer Sam Clemens gives the full scope of the trouble that was triggered by an accident involving an off-duty officer at 10th Street and Minnesota Avenue about 8:00 PM on Wednesday.

“A car came up behind (the officer), and bumped the back of his vehicle. There wasn’t a lot of damage done. As the officer got out in order to talk to the other driver there were four or five people in the other car and everybody took off running.”

A 17-year old was the driver of the car that triggered the accident who was captured by the officer. Police soon discovered that the car was stolen about an hour earlier from outside a business near 500 South Sycamore Avenue that had the keys left in it. Once in custody at Lutheran Social Services, Clemens says the juvenile continued his bad behavior.

“He had some lighters with him. He used those lighters to burn a couple of signs inside of the building and he was trying to burn a door.”

Though the damage was minimal at LSS, the suspect was taken to the Juvenile Detention Center where officials also discovered prescription pills that did not belong to him.

Charges against the teen include hit and run, possession of a stolen vehicle, arson and possession of a controlled substance plus a ticket for careless driving.

 

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