A Virginia State Trooper rescued a teenager attempting to jump off the Woodrow Wilson Bridge after a police pursuit following several burglaries, according to the Virginia State Police.
Around 11:56 p.m. on Friday, a Virginia State Police trooper witnessed a vehicle traveling south on I-95 near Lorton Road that had been reported stolen and was wanted in connection with several burglaries throughout the DMV, according to police.
The most recent burglary was in Prince Georges County, Maryland, according to Virginia State Police.
The trooper activated his lights and siren to initiate a traffic stop, but the vehicle refused to stop and sped away from the trooper, according to police.
The pursuit left I-95 continued onto Prince William Parkway and then returned to Interstate 95 headed north, police said.
Police then deployed a tire deflation device, but the suspect vehicle refused to stop and continued through Springfield and then east on I-495.
At one point, the suspect vehicle lost its right front tire and kept going, according to police.
As the suspect vehicle neared the Woodrow Wilson bridge, state police positioned themselves around the vehicle to contain and slow it down, police said.
At that point, the driver and passenger jumped out of the still rolling vehicle and fled on foot. The suspect vehicle rolled into the back of one of the trooper’s vehicles.
The 16-year-old male passenger of the suspect vehicle was apprehended by state police without incident, police said.
The 17-year-old male driver in the suspect vehicle the jumped up onto the railing of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, according to police. A trooper yelled for him to stop and not jump.
Just as the trooper reached the railing, the 17-year-old let go and the trooper caught the male by his sweatshirt and held him until a second trooper ran up and they were able to pull him over the railing and back onto the pavement, the police said.
Both teens were transported to Fairfax Juvenile Detention Center.
The driver was charged with one felony count of eluding police, police said.
The troopers also notified the jurisdictions investigating the burglaries and several robberies associated with both teens, according to police.
