Teens in custody after allegedly taking, crashing car

Four teenagers were taken into custody Wednesday night after they allegedly stole a car and crashed it into some bushes at the end of a brief joyride, according to Vancouver police.

The four teens, including two who had been reported as runaways, are accused of stealing a small Nissan car from the intersection of Northeast 143rd Avenue and Springwood Court, near 39th Street north of Burton Elementary School. The vehicle theft was reported at about 8:30 p.m.

Shortly thereafter, the wrecked car was recovered from some bushes at the foot of Southeast 164th Avenue, just past the state Highway 14 interchange. The occupants had fled.

Police set up a perimeter around the stolen car and the four teens were spotted and taken into custody on suspicion of auto theft.

The alleged driver was identified as 18-year-old George Zirkle, who was also arrested on an outstanding felony warrant.

He was also held on suspicion of hit-and-run driving because passenger Zacharia Douglas, 19, suffered minor injuries, according to police.

Two 15-year-olds, a male and a female, were taken into custody on outstanding juvenile warrants. Their names were not released.

Witnesses told police they saw the car speeding and zigzagging before it crashed. The vehicle was totaled.