The Ford Explorer Sport Trac bridged the gap between light pickup and capable SUV. Spanning two generations between the 2001 and 2010 model years, the half-pickup, half-SUV has gained a cult following, with some examples fetching big bucks at auction. That won’t be the case for one Explorer Sport Trac though, which met a premature end after a 12-year-old stole the pickup from their parents and promptly wrecked it.
According to a report from KCRA 3 Sacramento, the 12-year-old was arrested in south Sacramento, California, on September 22nd, 2025 after leading police on a brief chase behind the wheel of his parent’s Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies responded after the child took his parent’s vehicle and drove it to his former school, which is located on Caymus Drive, just after 7 a.m.
The child managed to mangle some traffic cones, driving over them in the Ford Explorer Sport Trac before taking police on a short pursuit through a neighborhood. The child hit a parked car and a patrol unit, but there were no injuries reported. The Explorer Sport Trac didn’t get off so easy, though, and was towed away from the scene with significant front-end damage.
It’s worth noting that in California, 12 years old is the minimum age at which minors can be held criminally responsible for charges in juvenile court. If the child is under 14 years old, the child must be taken into temporary custody until their guardians can be contacted before they can be released…