Four Teens Taken to Hospitals After Crashing Car While Fleeing From Police in Washington County

(Irondale) Four teenagers were injured Thursday night in a two vehicle accident in Washington County, two seriously.

The crash stemmed from a chase involving a sheriff’s department Ford Explorer that was actively chasing a Chevy Cruze.

The Highway Patrol says the accident took place on ‘M’ Highway just west of Axle Road near Irondale when the Chevy driven by a 16-year-old male from Desloge was fleeing from the Explorer that had it’s lights and siren activated driven by 22-year-old Deputy Ryan Bowyer.

The teen driver failed to make a curve, ran off the road and overturned, striking several trees.

Some debris from the car struck the front of the police vehicle.

The deputy was not injured but all four teens in the car were injured.

The teen driver and 18-year-old passenger Shayla Courtois of Potosi were both seriously injured.

The driver was taken to Children’s Hospital in St. Louis and Courtois was taken to Mercy Hospital South in St. Louis.

Two other teens in the car received moderate injuries.

A 17-year-old female from Potosi was taken to Children’s Hospital and 18-year-old James Conover of Cadet who was taken to the hospital in Potosi.