Two teenagers have been arrested following a lengthy pursuit on the South-Eastern Freeway in a stolen car.
Just before 6am on Monday 9 March, a police patrol spotted a stolen white Mazda SUV on Marion Road at Netley, they followed it for a short time before losing sight of the vehicle down a side street.
A few minutes later the same car was spotted by police heading east on Anzac Highway towards the city. Police patrols followed the car from a distance onto South Terrace, then Glen Osmond Road and onto the SE Freeway.
Just after 6.15am, the patrols following the stolen Mazda attempted to stop the vehicle on the freeway, but the driver refused and the stolen car continued towards Stirling.
A police patrol ahead of the pursuit successfully used road spikes puncturing three of the car’s tyres, just after the Stirling exit.
The stolen car slowed significantly but continued east past Bridgewater and then Hahndorf.
Police patrols while following the stolen car also kept east bound traffic on the freeway behind the pursuit at safe distance.
The stolen car with two occupants continued to travel slowly east on the freeway with three tyres now shredded, travelling on bare metal rims, at speeds ranging from 15-25km/h past Mt Barker.
A short time later just before 7.30am the stolen car eventually stopped on the freeway south of the Mt Barker summit, when the driver spotted more police cars ahead, ready to spike the remaining driver’s side tyre that was still inflated.
The driver, a 15-year-old girl and the passenger a 15-year-old boy, were both arrested without incident, they have been charged with illegal use of a motor vehicle. The girl will face several driving related charged including engaging in a police pursuit and driving unlicensed.
The white Mazda CX-5 which was stolen from a Grange address overnight, suffered extensive damage in the incident.
There were no injuries and no damage to any police vehicles.
The stolen car has since been towed from the scene and east bound traffic on the freeway back to normal.
Both the arrested teens have been refused police bail and are likely to appear in the Adelaide Youth Court on Tuesday.
