From staff reports

ASHLEY-HUDSON — A 14-year-old boy who recently had run away from home died after the stolen car he was driving struck a tree and burst into flames following a police pursuit on April 19, the Ashley-Hudson Police Department reported.

According to a post on the department’s Facebook page, Ashley-Hudson officers began investigating a suspicious vehicle in the 100 South block of Harrison Avenue just after 11 p.m. on April 19.

While officers were approaching the vehicle, it began to drive away, committing multiple traffic violations, police said.

Officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop on Wabash Avenue, but the vehicle, driven by Jaden Bowman, Waterloo, fled the traffic stop and led officers on a pursuit east on 800 South. The pursuit reached speeds of 90 miles per hour before entering Hamilton town limits, according to the department’s post.

The vehicle then turned around and traveled back west on 800 South. After crossing the intersection of Old U.S. 27, the vehicle turned north into a yard where it struck a tree and burst into flames. Bowman was unable to be rescued due to the extreme heat. Officers then learned the vehicle had recently been stolen, police said.

The death investigation was turned over to the Steuben County Coroner’s Office. Indiana State Police were called to conduct a crash reconstruction. The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office was requested to review the actions of the pursuing officer to determine if there were any violations of policy or state law. That investigation is still pending, Sheriff R.J. Robinson said.

DNA evidence was used to determine the driver was Bowman, who had recently run away from home.

The DNA testing was completed on Wednesday and the family was then notified. Out of respect for the family of the deceased, a press release was not completed until the family was notified, the police department’s Facebook post said.

Officers were assisted by the Steuben and DeKalb County Sheriff’s offices, Hamilton Police Department and the Angola City Police.