Babysitting teens stole, crashed Mustang into tree, Mt. Olive cops say

MOUNT OLIVE – Two teens abandoned a child they were babysitting to go on a joy ride in a Mustang, which they crashed into a tree, police said.

At about 12:49 a.m. Sunday, Officer Thomas Cuff responded to the scene of a single-car crash on Smithtown Road, where the occupants reportedly fled on foot after the collision, police said.

Cuff arrived to find a 1995 Ford mustang crashed into a tree, and witnesses told him two males exited the car and ran in the direction of nearby Sand Shore Road, police said.

Cuff ran the car’s license plate and remembered seeing the Mustang earlier that evening when he responded to a Budd Lake residence for a medical call, police said.

Cuff then returned to that residence and found two 17-year-old boys with injuries consistent with being in a motor vehicle accident, police said.

An investigation revealed the two boys were supposed to be babysitting at the residence when they instead took the Mustang for a joy ride, police said.

The driver then lost control of the car and crashed it into a tree, at which point both boys left the scene and returned to the home, police said.

The Mustang’s owner was notified and the two boys were arrested and taken to police headquarters where their parents and guardians were informed of the incident, police said.

One of the boys was charged with auto theft, child neglect, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, and operating after hours with a graduated driver’s license.

The second boy was charged with auto theft, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, reckless driving, failure to maintain a lane, and operating after hours with a graduated driver’s license.

The two 17-year-old boys were not named because they are juveniles.

Both were released to a parent or guardian pending a court appearance.

Staff Writer Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@GannettNJ.com