13-Year-Old Dies, 15-Year-Old Arrested In Stolen Car Crash: Cops

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, MANHATTAN — A 13-year-old boy died and a 15-year-old was arrested Saturday after the two went on a joyride in a stolen SUV and crashed into a row of parked cars, police said.

Dejuan Wynn, a 13-year-old from the Bronx, was driving the stolen Nissan Armada on West 116th Street just after 6 p.m. when cops saw the car run through a red light and make a turn on Morningside Avenue, cops said.

The 15-year-old passenger then got out of the car while it was still moving, moments before Wynn crashed into three parked cars, flipping the Nissan onto its side.

Wynn fell out of the car and became pinned under it, cops said. He was pronounced dead by emergency responders at the scene.

The 15-year-old, who was brought to the hospital after the crash in stable condition, was charged with grand larceny of an automobile, criminal possession of stolen property and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

The crash came a day before Mayor Bill de Blasio closed New York City schools due to the coronavirus pandemic. The mayor had cited potential consequences from leaving teenagers and kids unsupervised as one of his concerns for closing public schools, which there were mounting calls from teachers, elected officials and parents to do in the last week.

"I am tremendously concerned about what's going to happen with young people out in our communities without enough positive options, particularly teenagers," de Blasio said when he announced the closure Sunday.