Indiana teens lead Monroe County deputies on eight-mile stolen car chase in Forsyth

Two Indiana teens in a stolen car led Monroe County patrol deputies on a car chase in Forsyth Tuesday night that ended in a crash, officials said.

The chase began at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night and lasted for eight miles after deputies couldn’t keep the car from getting onto I-75 South, according to a press release from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver was Ethan Whaley, 18, who drove the stolen Honda Civic around a police car to get onto I-75. Whaley and his passenger, 19-year-old Tony Bridges, drove south and led deputies on a chase before Whaley reportedly crashed into another driver.

A deputy stopped the stolen Civic with a PIT maneuver after the crash. Whaley and Bridges both tried to escape after the wreck but were caught, police said.

The chase began when the stolen car was seen on camera in a parking lot near the Johnstonville Road exit on I-75.

Whaley and Bridges are both suspects in a string of car thefts in Indiana. Monroe County charged Whaley with fleeing and attempting to elude, leaving the scene of an accident, obstruction of law enforcement and multiple traffic violations.