TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Police say a 16-year-old led them on a chase in a stolen car before crashing into a building in the 3900 block of Bellevue near Sylvania Avenue around 1 a.m. Wednesday in west Toledo.
Police tell us they were behind the car when they noticed it was stolen. They tried to pull the driver over, but he decided to make a run for it.
The teen led cops through several residential streets before losing control and crashing through the front of the building of Appraisal Associates.
Following the crash, the driver then tried to hide underneath a desk inside the building. He was soon found and taken into custody. He was not hurt.
Police tell us the building will be demolished after suffering extensive damage.
"The building's trashed. I feel bad for the owner," said one area neighbor. "Structurally, it's gone. There's nothing they can do. They're going to have to tear it down."
Appraisal Associates owner Bill Noe says this may force him to close up shop after running the business for over 40 years.
"It might ease-in my retirement. I'm laughing now, but it's kind of sad. I've been here a long time," the 71-year-old said. "I have to see what the insurance tells me and go from there."
Already semi-retired, Noe says the repairs and insurance deductibles may not be worth the expense.
