A 15-year-old’s decision to take someone else’s car for a spin through London’s north end turned into quite the dramatic morning for local police on June 30th.

Just after 4 a.m., an officer patrolling the area near Fanshawe Park Road West and Richmond Street spotted something pretty sketchy – a vehicle tearing through a parking lot at high speed with absolutely no lights on. Because nothing says “I’m definitely not up to something suspicious” like racing around in the dark without headlights, right?

The situation escalated quickly when the vehicle pulled onto Fanshawe Park Road East, still maintaining that whole “lights are optional” vibe while continuing to speed. The officer tried to pull them over by activating emergency equipment, but the driver had other plans and decided to flee at high speed instead.

Smart move by the police though – they didn’t pursue the vehicle, which probably saved everyone from a potentially dangerous high-speed chase through the city streets.

But here’s where things get really wild. Officers found the abandoned vehicle a short time later on the side of the road near Wintergarden Road and Cobblestone Street. When they tried to arrest the driver, the teen allegedly rammed not one, but two police vehicles in a desperate attempt to escape.

Plot twist: it didn’t work. The teenager was arrested, and thankfully, no one was injured during this whole ordeal.

The 15-year-old London resident is now facing a pretty hefty list of charges that reads like a “how not to drive” manual. We’re talking failure to stop for police, taking a motor vehicle without consent, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, careless driving, and driving without a licence. Basically, they managed to hit the bad driving bingo card in one night.

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, the teenager’s identity can’t be released, but they’re scheduled to appear in London court on August 11, 2025.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact the London Police Service at 519-661-5670 or reach out to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You can also submit tips anonymously online through London Middlesex Crime Stoppers.