Allegedly drunk teenage girl steals cop car to join boyfriend in jail

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico -- A drunk teenage girl allegedly stole a sheriff's cruiser in order to see her boyfriend in jail, according to KRQE.

Officials say when the girl stole the car she took it on a wild ride, before crashing it into a ditch. The incident happened back in December, and the police dashcam video has been released.

A corporal with the San Juan County Sheriff's Office received a call about 16-year-old Samaria Gray staggering down the highway and then laying down on the shoulder.

Deputy: "Can I help you sit up?"

Gray: "I miss my boyfriend."

Deputy: "You miss your boyfriend? I'm sorry about that. I'm just here to help you okay?"

Gray: "Take me to jail if you want to help me."

Deputy: "Why do you want to go to jail?"

Gray: "My boyfriend's there."

That is when the teen's mom showed up and told the corporal she had been having trouble with her daughter's drinking habits. She also said Gray's boyfriend encouraged her drinking.

Gray's mom told the corporal she didn't want her daughter at the house until she was sober.

The deputy then told the girl to sit in the truck while he talked with her mother.

But as he was talking to her mom, Gray had a hard time staying patient. She began to kick and push the prisoner cage in the truck. But when she couldn't break through, she got out of the truck and hopped into the driver seat.

She sped off down the highway, reaching speeds of 99 mph and narrowly missed a van.

But her joyride wouldn't last long as she approached two cars, crashed into them, and then landed in a ditch on the side of the road.

Gray was hospitalized with serious injuries, but no one else was hurt.

The corporal said he didn't handcuff her while she was in the back of his truck because she was not behaving violently.