Teen accused of using stolen Lexus to injure officer

A 15-year-old boy is accused of stealing two cars and using one of them to rear-end a police squad, injuring a police officer.

The boy was arrested for vehicle theft and recklessly endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon Wednesday .

According to Wauwatosa police:

The boy first took a PT Cruiser that had been left unattended with the engine running in a driveway across from his Milwaukee home. He jumped in, drove to his girlfriend's house and took her to school.

On the way home, he drove through the 2500 block of North 66th Street in Wauwatosa, where he saw another unattended vehicle - this time a Lexus - with its engine running just after 8 a.m. He exchanged the PT Cruiser for the Lexus.

A Wauwatosa officer caught up with the stolen vehicle. The boy was behind wheel and he slowed momentarily, then accelerated and rammed into the rear of the squad car. The officer suffered back and neck injuries.

The officer called for help and the boy jumped out of the vehicle and started running at 49th Street and Lincoln Parkway. Meanwhile, the abandoned Lexus rolled down an embankment and over the frozen creek before getting stuck on the far riverbank.

The boy's footprints led to a nearby home. He was found with numerous other boys, whom he said were willing to pay him for the stolen vehicles.

The boy was sent to Milwaukee County Children's Court.