A stolen car tore through neighborhood yards and smashed into a home in Simpsonville, South Carolina, before two teenagers fled on foot, setting off a search involving deputies, K9 teams and a drone, according to the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office. No injuries were reported.
The sheriff’s office said deputies attempted to stop the reported stolen vehicle around 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 15. The driver fled, and deputies said they did not pursue the car before it crashed into the house on Renwood Road. Video released by the agency shows the car slamming into the home, after which deputies rush toward the wreckage and chase a fleeing suspect. In the footage, a deputy can be heard asking, « Is everybody alright? » as authorities check the house for anyone who might be hurt.
The passenger was quickly taken into custody. The search for the driver relied on both ground and aerial resources. K9 teams used multiple dogs to track the driver’s path, and drone operators provided an aerial view of the neighborhood, the sheriff’s office said. Footage also shows a dog picking up a scent collected from the vehicle before tracking the driver. Two teenagers, ages 15 and 16, were eventually arrested and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, authorities said.
The sheriff’s office used a social media post accompanying the video to highlight the department’s methods. « When someone decides to run from law enforcement in Greenville County, they quickly learn that our deputies have more than one way to find them, » the agency wrote. It added, « You can run, but our deputies have a pretty impressive toolbox. And they know how to use it. »
For neighbors, the crash interrupted an ordinary afternoon. Next-door neighbor Rachel Bush told WYFF she had been outside with her baby and dog only minutes earlier. « I was just putting my baby down for a nap, and I heard a big crash outside, » she said. « We were grateful we were back inside before everything happened. »
One of the home’s residents told WYFF that no one was inside when the car came through the front door. He and his fiancée returned from an errand minutes later to find the damage. He said the car missed another vehicle in the garage by inches, leaving behind an extensive cleanup and repair job. Another neighbor, Robert Belcher, told WYFF he offered support after seeing the aftermath. « I don’t know what to say to you but thank God no one was at home, » Belcher said he told his neighbor. The resident also addressed the teenagers accused in the incident. « Think about what you are doing; you never know if it’s going to impact lives, » he told WYFF.