Va. deputies catch N.C. youth driving Jeep, hiding handguns

Fredericksburg, Va. — Sheriff's deputies arrested a 12-year-old Burlington boy who was allegedly speeding a stolen Jeep through a northern Virginia county early Friday.

Spotsylvania County sheriff's Deputy J. Durbin clocked a blue Jeep Cherokee doing 70 mph in a 55 mph zone along Plank Road at 5:20 a.m., First Sgt. E.L. Scott said in a release. The Jeep's driver sped up when he saw Durbin's car, but stopped when the deputy pulled him over.

Durbin ran the Jeep's North Carolina license plate and learned that the Jeep had been reported stolen and that its driver might be armed with two stolen handguns, Scott said. Durbin called for backup, and he and another deputy ordered the driver out of the vehicle as they approached.

Out stepped a 12-year-old boy. He let deputies take him into custody without incident, Scott said.

Durbin found two loaded handguns in the front passenger seat hidden beneath bandannas.

The boy would not speak to deputies and was incarcerated at the Rappahannock Juvenile Detention Center, Scott said. He was charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, two counts of possession of stolen handguns and a traffic infraction for speeding.

Deputies withheld his name because of his age.

Authorities were not sure why the boy was driving through Spotsylvania. North Carolina authorities had listed him as missing or endangered and said he might be suicidal.

Spotsylvania authorities notified the boy's parents and North Carolina authorities, who planned to extradite him this week.