On his first day working at a Slidell car wash Thursday, a teenager allegedly stole a customer's BMW and later led police on a seven-mile chase before crashing the $70,000 vehicle into a tree along Interstate 12 north of Mandeville, authorities said.
Erin Hartley, 17, of Lacombe drove off in the black 2006 BMW 750 sedan at 2:30 p.m. after washing it for a customer at the Stop N Glo car wash on Old Spanish Trail, Slidell police Sgt. Brian Nicaud said.
About four hours later, a state trooper spotted a car matching the description of the stolen vehicle on I-12 West north of Lacombe, police said. The trooper began pursuing the vehicle at speeds above 100 mph as several other troopers and sheriff's deputies joined the chase.
The fleeing vehicle clipped two police cars before crashing into a tree near Louisiana 59, police said.
Hartley, who lives at 31232 May St., was booked with possession of a stolen car, flight from an officer, reckless driving, obstructing a highway, resisting arrest, driving without a license and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. He is being held in the parish jail in Covington in lieu of $9,650 bond.
Nicaud said Slidell police plan to book him with an additional charge of auto theft.
The BMW owner works at a neighboring business and has the car washed at Stop N Glow once a week, Nicaud said.
"She said a car wash employee comes over every Thursday or Friday and takes the car to wash it," he said.
The woman said a different employee from the usual one picked the car up Thursday. She reported the car stolen after another employee told her the new employee had driven off in the car after washing it, Nicaud said.
A phone message left at the car wash Friday was not returned.
A police report said Hartley is acquainted with a car wash employee and had started working there Thursday.
"He was apparently there on a trial basis," Nicaud said. "Looks like it didn't go so well."
Erin Hartley, 17, of Lacombe drove off in the black 2006 BMW 750 sedan at 2:30 p.m. after washing it for a customer at the Stop N Glo car wash on Old Spanish Trail, Slidell police Sgt. Brian Nicaud said.
About four hours later, a state trooper spotted a car matching the description of the stolen vehicle on I-12 West north of Lacombe, police said. The trooper began pursuing the vehicle at speeds above 100 mph as several other troopers and sheriff's deputies joined the chase.
The fleeing vehicle clipped two police cars before crashing into a tree near Louisiana 59, police said.
Hartley, who lives at 31232 May St., was booked with possession of a stolen car, flight from an officer, reckless driving, obstructing a highway, resisting arrest, driving without a license and having an open container of alcohol in a vehicle. He is being held in the parish jail in Covington in lieu of $9,650 bond.
Nicaud said Slidell police plan to book him with an additional charge of auto theft.
The BMW owner works at a neighboring business and has the car washed at Stop N Glow once a week, Nicaud said.
"She said a car wash employee comes over every Thursday or Friday and takes the car to wash it," he said.
The woman said a different employee from the usual one picked the car up Thursday. She reported the car stolen after another employee told her the new employee had driven off in the car after washing it, Nicaud said.
A phone message left at the car wash Friday was not returned.
A police report said Hartley is acquainted with a car wash employee and had started working there Thursday.
"He was apparently there on a trial basis," Nicaud said. "Looks like it didn't go so well."
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