Deputies from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a runaway juvenile at Our Place on February 15. The incident began when the juvenile took her parents’ vehicle. Shortly after, a purchase was made with her parents’ credit card at a gas station on USA Parkway, which led authorities to suspect she might be attempting to travel back to Chicago, Illinois, where she had previously lived.
An Attempt to Locate alert was issued to law enforcement agencies throughout northern Nevada for the missing vehicle. The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office dispatch used Rapid SOS technology to help locate the juvenile. This effort allowed authorities to track the vehicle’s location to Carlin, near Elko, Nevada.
The Nevada Highway Patrol found the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. The juvenile did not initially yield but eventually stopped without further incident. She was taken into custody in Carlin and is being held on local charges.
Sheriff Darin Balaam commented on the outcome: “This case emphasizes the importance of swift coordination and communication across agencies,” said Sheriff Darin Balaam. “Through the combined efforts of our deputies, dispatch personnel, and our partners with the Nevada Highway Patrol, we were able to locate this juvenile before she left the state. I am grateful that the parents reported this to law enforcement immediately, allowing us to act swiftly, mobilize resources across jurisdictions, and bring this situation to a safe resolution.”
