A Grand Traverse County teen was planning on riding his BMX bicycle almost 250 miles to Detroit on Friday to see his girlfriend. Instead he gave up and decided to steal a car, according to state police Trooper Chris Siegert.

The 17-year-old from Kingsley who lives with his parents, told police he realized the ride to Detroit was “too far to ride a bicycle,” which is why he stole the car, police said.

Siegert said the teen had only ridden his bicycle a few miles before stealing an unlocked 2002 Saturn with the keys in it out of a Kingsley driveway.

According to police, he then headed to Detroit in the Saturn and accidently side-swiped another vehicle in a hit and run collision in Isabella County on U.S. 10 in Wise Township near the Midland County line.

Siegert said there was little damage in the collision which simply resulted in some scrapes on the side of the vehicles.

An illegal prescription of analogue drugs was found in the stolen car, along with his bicycle.

The teen had also been driving without an operator’s license.

He was arrested on Friday and remains lodged in the Isabella County Jail on charges of possession of stolen property, a hit and run traffic accident, possession of analogue drugs, driving without an operators license and reckless driving, Siegert said.

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