COLUMBUS, Ohio — A group of teenage boys is on the run after they crashed a reportedly stolen car outside of a northeast Columbus gas station Wednesday morning, police said. One of the teens was hospitalized after they were hit by an off-duty deputy.
Around 8:45 a.m., a lieutenant with Clinton Township Police Department was driving north on Cleveland Avenue and noticed a Hyundai driving erratically. The lieutenant pursued the vehicle and then backed off due to the erratic driving.
The lieutenant was then turning onto Morse Road when he was flagged down by people who were at the Shell gas station on the corner of Morse Road and Cleveland Avenue. The bystanders pointed to the Hyundai that had crashed into a fire hydrant.
Authorities said four teenage boys got out of the vehicle and left the scene. A Franklin County sheriff's deputy, who was off duty at the time, struck one of the teens who ran in front of his car.
The teen was taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in critical condition and his condition has since improved.
Police said they are still searching for the other teens involved in the crash. Descriptions of the juveniles have not been released.
The Columbus Division of Police is handling the investigation and assisting detectives with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.