Youth Who Stole Dump Truck Will Not Be Tried as Adult

Summit County Juvenile Judge Linda Tucci Teodosio ruled March 11 that the 17-year-old Stow resident who stole a will continue his trial and rehabilitation in the juvenile court system.

Although the youth "failed to successfully complete one of the many court
programs does not indicate that he cannot be rehabilitated in the juvenile justice system. There are other sanctions that remain in the juvenile system that may be effective," Teodosio said in today's written statement.

She also said although the teen is 17 and five months away from being a legal adult, "[he] is not emotionally mature enough for transfer at this time. While he is seventeen years old chronologically, he is much younger emotionally."

Another reason Teodosio said the teen would be better in the juvenile system is because of "several mental illnesses."

The teen also and was admitted to the Psychiatric Unit at the Akron Children's Hospital shortly after he was arrested for taking police from Cuyahoga Falls, Akron, Canton and the Ohio State Highway Patrol on a 52-mile high speed-chase in the dump truck.

A pretrial will be scheduled.

Stow police charges:

• Three counts of felonious assualt on an officer (first-degree felony); failure to comply and willfully fleeing (third-degree felony); and three counts of vandalism (fourth-degree felony).

Canton police charges:

• Four counts of felonious assault and one count of failure to comply.

Akron police charges:

• One felony count of assault against a police officer and failure to comply.

In most cases, Patch does not name juveniles accused of crimes.