Two Ceres teenagers face a number of charges after allegedly stealing a Honda Civic and leading police on a chase early Thursday.

Officer Aaron Pinon was patrolling at 3:56 a.m. when he saw a Honda Civic following a Nissan pickup near Sinclair Elementary School. Officer Pinon got behind the Honda Civic as it was eastbound on Hackett Road from Morgan Road. The Honda’s driver sped off westbound in the eastbound lane. The driver ignored the officer’s emergency lights and siren and led Officer Pinon on a pursuit through residential streets in southwest Ceres. 

The chase made its way down westbound Whitmore Avenue as the Honda began to smoke. The Honda, which was later found to have been stolen just before being seen by Officer Pinon, veered into a dirt field at Nickerson Drive and became disabled. The two occupants, the 15-year-old male driver and his 16-year-old passenger, remained in the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle were arrested and booked into Stanislaus County Juvenile Hall and charges of possession of a stolen vehicle and burglary. The driver faces the additional charge of recklessly evading a peace officer in a vehicle.