JULY 3, 2009 – A 17-year-old Salinas boy who had escaped from a juvenile detention facility a month ago was injured when his stolen car crashed at the end of a police chase, authorities said. The boy was dragged unconscious from the burning wreckage on Highway 1 and transferred to a San Jose-area trauma center. Authorities said he will be booked on suspicion of auto theft and drunk driving when he’s released from the hospital. Capitola police believe he stole the Dodge Intrepid in Salinas on Tuesday and decided to drive to the beach on Wednesday with an accomplice, 20-year-old Ulises Abraham of Salinas. A Capitola motorcycle officer spotted the car weaving down a street and attempted to pull the vehicle over about 3:45 p.m., police said. The car sped off and led police on a 10-mile chase before clipping a Mercedes and crashing just north of Airport Boulevard. Abraham was arrested and later transported to a hospital for treatment of a hand injury. The driver of the Mercedes was taken to Watsonville Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, authorities said. The California Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.

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