Alleged teen car thief captured after three-hour manhunt in New Kent

A teenager accused of stealing a car in James City County and driving the vehicle into New Kent County is in custody following a three-hour manhunt conducted today (Tuesday) by New Kent sheriff’s personnel and units from the state police.

The teen, a male age 14 and said to be from James City, eluded authorities in a wooded area in the eastern part of the county until New Kent Detective Sgt. Donald Mehalko spotted the youth near the Stage Road/Kent Flats Lane intersection and made the arrest. Deputies, meanwhile, recovered the stolen car, a late model Oldsmobile, behind the Circle K convenience store located on Route 33 near the Interstate 64 West Point (mile marker 220) interchange.

New Kent Sheriff F.W. “Wakie” Howard Jr. said his office was alerted around 9:45 a.m. by a county resident living on Kent Flats Lane who said a teen in the 13-14 age range appeared at her front door asking for water. Deeming the incident far from ordinary, the woman contacted the sheriff’s office.

Howard, meanwhile, said his office had just received a report to be on the lookout for a juvenile that had stolen a car in James City. Deputy Scott Carneal arrived first on the scene at the woman’s house and saw the suspect flee into nearby woods. The woman then identified the teen from a cell phone photo that had been supplied by James City authorities.

A canine unit and a state police helicopter assisted the seven officers on the ground in the search for the suspect, who managed to evade capture until being spotted by Mihalcoe around 1 p.m. The teen, whose name is being withheld due to age, has since been turned over to James City authorities.