Bluetooth connection links 15-year-old to stolen car crash in South Seattle

A 15-year-old was arrested on Tuesday after a Bluetooth connection linked him to crashing a stolen car through a fence in South Seattle.

At approximately 7:30 p.m., Seattle Police Department (SPD) officers responded to reports of a collision into a residence’s yard in the 6900 block of 44th Avenue S., SPD announced.

Bluetooth connection links teen suspect to stolen car, collision in South Seattle

At the scene, officers found an unoccupied sedan with a damaged ignition in the victim’s front yard. SPD quickly located the suspect nearby and detained him.

Although the suspect denied being in the car, an eyewitness identified him as the driver, and the juvenile’s cell phone was also still paired to the vehicle’s Bluetooth settings.

“The teen was adamant that he didn’t commit any wrongdoing. However, when the officers conducted a search incident to arrest, they recovered his cell phone, and they also found that this cell phone’s Bluetooth settings were still paired to the vehicle.” SPD Detective Eric Muñoz said. “This kid was doing something he wasn’t supposed to be doing, and he had the audacity to pair his phone, listen to music while he was driving around in somebody’s vehicle.”

Officers believe the suspect committed a hit-and-run into another vehicle nearby, causing a collision, only a few minutes before he crashed into the yard.

SPD arrested the suspect and booked him into juvenile detention for property destruction and possession of a stolen vehicle.

“Right now, this 15-year-old is facing a felony and a misdemeanor charge,” Muñoz said. “The property destruction charge is actually called malicious mischief, because it’s about $1,000 or more in property damage, and of course possession of a stolen vehicle.”

General Investigations Unit detectives have been assigned to the case.

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