Denville Police saw a black Mercedes Benz heading east on Route 46 matching the description of one that had been stolen out of Parsippany earlier in the evening just before 4 a.m. on Wednesday, July 13, a press release said.
As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver sped off onto Route 53 south and continued to ignore their lights and sirens.
The Mercedes driver then veered off the road while trying to navigate a turn near the intersection of Durbin Avenue before hitting a utility pole and fire hydrant, causing the pole to snap as the vehicle went up in flames, police said.
Three teens were found after running from the flaming car — a 15- and 16-year-old from Newark, and a 16-year-old from Irvington — and were taken into custody with charges for unlawful means of conveyance and resisting arrest, police said.
Two of the three teens were also treated for minor injuries at either St. Clare’s Hospital in Denville or Morristown Medical Center.
Meanwhile, two of the vehicle’s occupants remain at large as the investigation continues, police said.
Anyone with information about the incident or the two remaining suspects’ identities is asked to contact Det. Scott Tobin at 973-627-4900 x 350.
Other assisting agencies include the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, Morris County Sheriff’s Department, Parsippany Police Department, Morris Plains Police Department, Hanover Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, Millburn Police Department, and the Morris County Office of Emergency Management.
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