A police pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended Wednesday afternoon when the 17-year-old driver lost control and crashed into a utility pole, sending the car up in flames on South Lake Drive.
According to the Texarkana, Texas Police Department, Officer Joe Rochelle spotted a 2025 Hyundai near W. 8th Street and Whitaker that had been reported stolen out of Texarkana, Arkansas. Rochelle and Officer Matthew Lindsey attempted a traffic stop in the 600 block of South Lake Drive.
The driver initially pulled over but then sped away, prompting a chase. It did not last long. As the driver tried to turn onto Buchanan Road from South Lake Drive at a high rate of speed, she lost control and slammed into a utility pole. The vehicle immediately caught fire.
Both the driver, identified as 17-year-old London Richardson, and her 15-year-old passenger managed to escape the burning car with only minor injuries.
Officers found marijuana inside the vehicle. Richardson was taken to a local hospital for medical clearance before being booked into the Bi-State Jail. Police said she also had an outstanding felony warrant for theft of a firearm.
Richardson was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, evading arrest with a vehicle, possession of marijuana, and theft of a firearm on the existing warrant. The passenger was not arrested.
Police credited Officers Rochelle and Lindsey with bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.