Two children were captured at a dead end just a couple of blocks from where they had allegedly stolen a car last week.
On Nov. 26, at about 12:34 p.m., the Sweet Home Police Department received multiple report of a stolen white 1998 Ford Escort from 1825 Long St., the Church of Christ at 18th and Long.
The owner, Sheryl Santesson, 64, reported that her vehicle had just been stolen and was last seen headed east in the 1800 block of Kalmia Street, a dead end. She reported that the vehicle had not come back from that area.
Simultaneously, Police Chief Burford said, police received more calls from the apartment complex at 1890 and 1900 Kalmia St. reporting a disturbance. According to the reports, a man was holding the female driver of a white Escort. A male passenger had fled on foot and was being pursued by another male.
“When police arrived on the scene, we learned that Marc Holcomb Sr., 58, had apparently observed the theft of the vehicle and had followed the vehicle into the dead end,” Chief Burford said. “He blocked it from leaving the parking lot of the apartment complex with his vehicle. He then physically detained the female driver until police arrived.
“The juvenile male passenger had fled on foot but was soon escorted back by Joseph Mode, 14. He had observed the car drive to the apartment, recognized the female driver from school and knew she was not old enough to drive the car.”
Mode ran to assist Holcomb in detaining the driver then gave chase, attempting to tackle the male suspect, Chief Burford said. The male suspect allegedly took several swings at Mode before he was detained and taken to police.
Police took Alicia Renae Humphreys, 12, and Tony Scott Harden, 12, into custody and charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Harden also was charged with fourth-degree assault. They were both transported to Linn-Benton Juvenile Detention Facility.
The keys had apparently been left in the vehicle, Chief Burford said. According to Harden’s statement to police, Humphreys noticed the car in the parking lot of the church with the keys in the ignition.
“She got in the car and told him to hop in and he did,” Chief Burford said. “After which, she explained to him, ‘I don’t know how to drive.'”
Harden then apparently helped her put the car in reverse then drive, and the two headed east along Kalmia where they were caught.