NJ teens flip stolen car onto its roof, cops say

🔴 The driver sideswiped six other vehicles on Route 24 before overturning

🔴 Five teens inside ran off the roadway

🔴 One teen eluded police for two hours before being found along Route 78

SUMMIT — Five teens who stole a car Wednesday afternoon flipped it over on Route before running away, police said.

Police noticed the 2019 Audi A5, which had been reported stolen in Montclair, as it sped east on Route 24 near Hobart Avenue in Summit around 4:10 p.m.

The driver sideswiped six vehicles before overturning on the shoulder west of Exit 9A (Broad Street). The five 16-year-olds inside the sedan fled onto a PSE&G maintenance yard along the exit ramp.

Summit police said officers were able to arrest three of the teens and police caught a fourth from neighboring Millburn.

Police used a Union County Sheriff's Office K-9 unit and a drone from Millburn police to search for the fifth teen.

Teens released

Two hours later, the fifth juvenile was found on Route 78 near Exit 50 (Union, Millburn, Maplewood).

The teens in all from Essex County, were processed and released to the custody of their parents or guardian pending a court hearing.

The driver who is from Newark was charged with receiving stolen property, eluding and resisting arrest and reckless driving. He is being held at the Essex County Juvenile Detention facility. The three passengers, all from Essex County, were all charged with receiving stolen property, and resisting arrest. They were released to the custody of their parent or guardian.

Two eastbound lanes of Route 24 were closed during Wednesday afternoon's commute.

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