ELKO, Nev. - Three juvenile offenders who roughed up a detention center staff member and stole his car and his wallet were back in custody nine hours later following a high-speed chase through central Nevada.
Sean Ryan, 18, James Shannon, 17, and William Shobe, 17, allegedly overpowered a staff member at the Nevada Youth Training Center shortly before 1 a.m. Friday, authorities said. The center just east of Elko along Interstate 80 is where the state houses its most serious male juvenile delinquents.
Around 9 a.m., Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Fred Wurster noticed the stolen maroon 1993 Plymouth Acclaim traveling on U.S. 95, 11 miles south of Hawthorne and hundreds of miles from Elko.
Authorities believe the three were en route to Las Vegas. Ryan and Shannon are from Las Vegas and Shobe is from Henderson, authorities said.
When Wurster tried to pull the youths over, a chase ensued, topping speeds of 100 mph, NHP spokesman Patrick McGill said.
As the NHP airplane monitored the pursuit from above and with help from Nye County sheriff's deputies, officers put out road spikes that flattened all four tires on the stolen vehicle.
The car limped along at 5 mph before exiting on U.S. 6, 40 miles west of Tonopah, where the three teens were arrested, McGill said.
The three were taken to the Nye County Jail while arrangements were made for their return to Elko, McGill said.
The staff member who was overpowered was taken to Elko General Hospital to be checked out but was not seriously injured, authorities said.