Two Juveniles Arrested After Stolen Vehicle, Hit-and-Run, and Trespassing Incident in Mesa

By: Ciara Perez | Investigative Journalist | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published September 11th, 2025

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Two Juveniles Arrested After Stolen Vehicle, Hit-and-Run, and Trespassing Incident in Mesa

MESA, Ariz. (iSkyNews.com) – Two juveniles were taken into custody Thursday morning after Mesa Police say they fled officers in a stolen vehicle, caused property damage, and attempted to hide in residential yards.

According to Mesa Police, the incident began around 11:30 a.m. when the department’s Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) alerted officers to a stolen Chevrolet Malibu traveling eastbound on Southern Avenue. The vehicle had been reported stolen earlier that morning out of Queen Creek after the owner discovered it missing.

An officer spotted the car near Mesa High School and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver refused to pull over. Police said the Malibu sped through a Walmart parking lot before exiting onto Baseline Road. The chase ended minutes later near Jacinto Circle when two juveniles jumped out of the still-moving vehicle, which rolled forward and crashed into a residential gate.

Officers quickly established a perimeter and located the suspects hiding in a nearby backyard. Both were detained without incident and identified as 16- and 17-year-old males who had previously been reported as runaways from Queen Creek.

Investigators say the 17-year-old admitted to stealing the car with the help of the 16-year-old and another juvenile who has not yet been located. He also confessed to driving the vehicle and choosing not to stop when officers attempted to pull him over.

The 17-year-old faces multiple charges, including:

Theft of Means of Transportation (Class 3 Felony)
Felony Flight from Law Enforcement (Class 5 Felony)
Hit-and-Run Accident (Class 1 Misdemeanor)
Two counts of Trespassing in Fenced Residential Yards (Class 1 Misdemeanors)

The 16-year-old was booked on charges of:

Theft of Means of Transportation (Class 3 Felony)
Two counts of Trespassing in Fenced Residential Yards (Class 1 Misdemeanors)

Mesa Police credited the coordinated efforts of patrol officers and the RTCC in bringing the pursuit to a safe conclusion, recovering the stolen car, and preventing further danger to the community.

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