Police: Traffic stop escalates as juveniles kidnap child, flee police

Two juveniles were taken into custody Wednesday afternoon after police said a simple traffic stop turned into — among other things — a kidnapping and vehicle theft.

Sioux Falls police stopped a vehicle near the intersection of East 10th Street and South Van Eps Avenue, a release said, because the driver had a warrant for his arrest. Police did not have available what the warrant was for.

After the driver stepped out of the vehicle, police said a juvenile male in the front passenger seat jumped into the driver seat and stole the vehicle.

Police said they followed the vehicle to the intersection of East Austin Street and North Blauvelt Avenue, where the male jumped out of the vehicle and fled.

Meanwhile, police said, a juvenile female in the back seat grabbed a six-year-old child  — the daughter of the adult driver — who was in the car, and jumped out as well before attempting to throw the child over a nearby fence and flee from police.

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However, in his exit from the car, the release said juvenile male placed the car in reverse instead of park, police said, and as it rolled back down the road it ran over the right foot of the fleeing juvenile female before hitting an unmarked police car and causing minor damage.

She was taken into custody a short time later, and treated at a local hospital for her injured foot.

The juvenile male, 17, of Sisseton, was taken into custody after a foot pursuit, police said, and found to have meth in his possession.

The two were taken to the Minnehaha County Juvenile Detention Center. The male was lodged for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, kidnapping, child endangerment, fleeing police, obstructing police, aggravated eluding, possession of a stolen vehicle and grand theft.

The female, 17, of Peever, was lodged for kidnapping, child endangerment, fleeing and obstructing police.

The adult driver was arrested for his warrant and cited for traffic offenses, and the six-year-old child was turned over to her mother.

The name of the original driver is not being released because he is also considered a victim of vehicle theft.

Danielle Ferguson contributed to this story.