Exclusive: Parents of teen who led deputies on high speed chase speak
FAYETTEVILLE (WTVD) -- Kimberly Coulter said she could hardly sleep Thursday night. The high speed chase with her 14-year-old son behind the wheel of the family's Cadillac was just too much.
In an exclusive interview with ABC11, Coulter spoke about her son's run-in with the law.
"He's just an out-of-control teenager," said Coulter. "This was the third time he stole my car."
Coulter got the call about the Thursday afternoon chase through downtown Fayetteville from her son's juvenile counselor.
Just after 4:00, the teen sped down Gillespie Street followed by about a half-dozen deputies. He was coming from a traffic stop nearly six miles away off Legion Road. Clipping cars along Hay Street, the teen's chase ended in front of City Hall when one of the tires blew out. The boy ran a block away into the public library where he was arrested by Cumberland County Sheriff's deputies.
But the ordeal began mid-morning when the boy left school. His mother and stepfather, who declined to identify him, said he walked more than four miles to their house from Ramsey Street Alternative High School. His stepfather discovered him in an upstairs bathroom, and the couple called the teen's aunt, who is his legal guardian. They said she asked them to drive them to her home near Hope Mills around 12:30 p.m. Before they could get dressed to leave the house, Coulter said her son ran outside and took the keys to the gold-colored 2009 Cadillac out of her hands.
"He actually snatched the keys from me, and I tried to stand behind the vehicle to prevent him from leaving," said Coulter. "And he actually almost ran over me, so I jumped out of the way."
"Immediately, I got on the phone with Fayetteville PD," added Kymani Tate, the teen's stepfather.
Coulter and Tate said police arrived to their home within ten minutes, and their son was located a few miles away at the Ramsey Street Lowe's. He parked there, but when he spotted police he took off into traffic. His parents said the police were careful not to make matters worse.
"[The officer] wanted to avoid him wrecking the car," said Tate. "You know, possibly causing danger to himself or other people."
The couple didn't hear anything further until nearly 5 p.m.
"It was almost dark outside when we heard something back, and it wasn't good news," said Tate.
They learned about what happened in downtown Fayetteville, and Coulter raced through the worst scenarios in her mind. Was anyone hurt or killed? Was the only form of transportation a total loss for a family with an autistic child?
The family was relieved to learn no one was hurt, and the car received minimal damage, but his mother is hoping the boy's aunt and a judge will consider sending him to a training academy.
"I would feel like he's getting the help that he needs with discipline issues because he doesn't listen," said Coulter.
Coulter said she hasn't had a chance to speak with her son yet, but when she does, she will have one message.
"I want to say that I love you, that I'm glad you're alive, but I'm very upset because you could have hurt yourself or other people," said Coulter. "Cars can be replaced but people can't."
