A 17-year-old Lawrence man is under arrest after leading Dracut and Methuen police on a chase in a stolen car Thursday afternoon.
Methuen police are still searching for a young woman who managed to escape in a separate stolen minivan involved during the same pursuit.
The 17-year-old was driving a white Lexus IS-250 stolen from Lowell, police said. He is being arraigned in Essex County Juvenile Court on charges of operation of a motor vehicle without a license, failure to stop for police, leaving the scene after an accident with property damage, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, failure to obey pavement markers, speeding, receiving stolen property (the vehicle), disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The Methuen side of the chase began Thursday, at 2:10 p.m., when Methuen police were notified by Dracut police that they ceased chasing two stolen motor vehicles at the Methuen-Dracut line. Besides the Lexus, Dracut advised Methuen to be on the lookout for a white Toyota Sienna minivan separately driven by a young woman, according to a statement by Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon and Mayor Stephen Zanni.
Methuen officers spotted the vehicles, which were traveling together, and attempted to stop them. The drivers refused to stop, the statement said, and led police on a pursuit that lasted about two minutes before officers deployed the Stop Stick brand tire deflation device, which was slowed both vehicles.
The male juvenile abandoned the Lexus near 212 Haverhill St., tried to run away but was quickly captured by police. Police are still searching for the driver of the Toyota, described as a young female.