15-year-old in stolen Mercedes hits van carrying 5 people with disabilities, NC cops say
A teenager is accused of stealing a Mercedes and hitting a van as it carried five people with disabilities in Western North Carolina.
State troopers said the 15-year-old took the luxury car from outside A.C. Reynolds High School in the mountain town of Asheville. The teen driver pulled out of a nearby grocery store parking lot, sped through an intersection and “collided with” a Ford van on March 1, officials said.
Shannon Buckner told WLOS she was driving the van when she saw a car pull out in front of her.
“I slammed on my brakes, but it was too late,” Buckner said, according to the TV station. “I had already made an impact.”
The van — which reportedly had a driver and five people with disabilities on board — turned onto its side after the crash.
“They were all transported to assess their injuries due to some of them being non-verbal,” the N.C. State Highway Patrol told McClatchy News in an emailed statement. “The driver of the stolen Mercedes was transported with serious injuries.”
A passenger in the Mercedes was also taken to the hospital after the “serious” crash, officials said.
Troopers were called to the wreck at about 2:30 p.m. on U.S. Highway 74 alternate. Due to the teen’s age, officials in their statement said they wouldn’t identify people involved in the incident.
While officials didn’t share whether the teen had a license, North Carolina teens ages 15 to 17 who want full driving privileges face a strict process called graduated licensing, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The teen driver was later listed in “serious but stable condition,” and all others involved in the crash went home from the hospital.
Highway patrol said the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is handling a larceny of a motor vehicle investigation tied to the case. A representative for that department didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on March 3.
This story was originally published March 3, 2022 at 9:27 AM with the headline "15-year-old in stolen Mercedes hits van carrying 5 people with disabilities, NC cops say."
