A 15-year-old boy has been placed in a secure youth facility after crashing his moped while fleeing police, leaving his 18-year-old passenger critically injured.
The crash happened at about 11.30 p.m on Saturday on the N9 between Lievegem and Eeklo, in East Flanders.
At a police checkpoint at the junction with Bredestraat Kouter, officers from the Deinze-Zulte-Lievegem police zone tried to stop the moped, but the rider attempted to get away, and a motorcycle officer gave chase.
During the pursuit, the moped was driven at high speed on the wrong side of the N9 and struck several parked cars. The 15-year-old rider then lost control and crashed into a parked lorry and trailer.
The boy suffered minor injuries. He also tested positive in a roadside drugs test.
The moped was found to have been listed as missing.
The rider was brought before the juvenile court in Ghent, which ordered his placement in a closed juvenile institution.
The 18-year-old female passenger was taken to AZ Sint-Lucas hospital with life-threatening injuries and was still in a critical condition on Monday.
