MILWAUKEE — 17-year-old Dvarion Beamon is charged with two felonies for allegedly leading police on a four-county high-speed chase that ended in Kenosha County at I-94 and County Hwy. C.

Three other teens have been charged as well. They include Jarmel Gatewood, Darrell Thompson and Fred Gillespie who are being charged with misdemeanors for knowingly riding in a stolen vehicle.

According to the criminal complaint, Kelly Nichols from ABC Daycare told police the 2002 white Chrysler Town and Country minivan used in the high-speed chase was stolen from her business the day before Beamon led police on the multi-county chase. Beamon told police in the complaint, “Vans are easy to steal,” going on to say he used a hammer and screwdriver to peel away the steering column.

Milwaukee Police Officer Greg Geniesse responded to a report from an off-duty MPD officer that Beamon and his friends were trying to force their way into a home. The criminal complaint says Officer Geniesse caught up with the teens near 60th and Center. The teens then led Milwaukee police on a high-speed chase for about 17 minutes. Police officers ended the chase for safety reasons.

Menomonee Falls police later spotted the stolen daycare van leaving a gas station, and resumed the high-speed chase that eventually ended in Kenosha County on I-94 at County Hwy. C.

Shortly after the van’s tire was deflated by law enforcement tactics, Beamon and his friends surrendered. A 16-year-old named Shawn was also found in the van, but hasn’t been charged. Thompson and Gillespie both admitted to knowing the car was stolen before riding with Beamon. Gatewood admitted nothing to police.

Thompson spoke with FOX6 News Monday, May 14th – the day charges were filed. Thompson says he wishes things would have turned out differently, and that he didn’t have to face court. He said he wasn’t sure how fast the van was going during the chase. “We weren’t doing nothing. We weren’t trying to commit no burglaries or none of that. You see some black guys in a neighborhood, you’re gonna call police. That seems kind of racist to me. We was actually lost, looking for directions so I can go to school. Thankfully, nobody got hurt,” Thompson said.

FOX6 News attempted to speak with Beamon, the van’s driver, but was told he wasn’t around when visiting his listed address.

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• Five arrested after high-speed chase ends in Kenosha Co.
• View dashcam video of police chase involving stolen van