A pair of teenage carjackers from Colorado led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a fireball — and a few mugshots going up in flames, too.
Police arrested 19-year-olds Michael Howell-McGlynn and Kristine Elisabeth Romero on Thursday after pulling them from the burning wreckage of a 2015 Subaru Forrester — previously reported stolen in an armed carjacking.
Larimer County Sheriff’s Office deputies spotted the SUV idling in a Berthoud parking lot just after 4 a.m., but when they tried to stop it at an intersection, the teens took off.
The dynamic duo quickly accelerated to speeds of over 100 mph, and police followed suit, according to a statement from the sheriff’s office.
When the suspects slowed approaching another intersection, officers rammed their car in an attempt to stop them. The Subaru struck a curb, then landed on a nearby tree and burst into flames.
Officers rushed to remove Howell-McGlynn and Romero from the car, also recovering a rifle from the burning wreckage.
They were taken to the hospital and treated for injuries, and after being released a short time later, they were booked into the Larimer County Jail.
Both suspects appeared completely defeated and out of luck in their mugshots, with the tattooed and moustachioed Howell-McGlynn looking somberly into the camera with his head wrapped in bandages from forehead to chin and a thick drop of blood fresh on his chest. .
But Romero stole the show, sporting a mop of two-toned, frizzy hair with bangs that reached past her eyes, metallic silver eyeshadow and a busted plump lip with a bloody chin as she stared at the ceiling.
Commenters on the Larimer County Facebook page panned the teens for their unruly actions.
“Did you all find 101 Dalmatians in the trunk?!” wrote one.
“Halloween was over two weeks ago,” said another.
Police charged Howell-McGlynn, the driver of the stolen car, with reckless driving, obstructing a peace officer and eluding a vehicle resulting in bodily injury to another.
His friend Romero was indicted for conspiracy to commit a Class 4 felony — reserved for crimes of violence or extraordinary risk of harm — and for an outstanding warrant for assault on a peace officer.
“This driver’s reckless behavior demonstrates a disturbing disregard for the safety of others,” Larimer County Sheriff John Feyen said.
“Our officers will continue to protect this community and arrest dangerous criminals who threaten lives and property in Northern Colorado.”
