WESTERLY, R.I. — A stolen car crashed into the gates of Taylor Swift’s beachfront Rhode Island home Tuesday morning following a police chase that started in a neighboring town, police said.
The chase started around 1 a.m. Tuesday when a Hopkinton officer on patrol noticed the car had no license plates and tried to pull it over, Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey told The Sun of Westerly . The pursuit, which reached speeds of 65 mph, crossed into Westerly.
It’s unclear whether Swift — who has recently reported trouble with stalking — was at home or if the occupants of the vehicle knew who owned the home. Messages were left with the chief Wednesday.
The car failed to negotiate a curve near Swift’s home, struck the wall outside her property and then ricocheted into the main entrance gate, according to police reports. Police estimated the car, which they said was stolen in nearby Connecticut, was going about 35 mph at the time.
Three of the car’s occupants — the 19-year-old driver, an 18-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy — were taken to the hospital with what were described as non-life-threatening injuries. A fourth occupant, age 18, fled on foot but was tracked down just after 4 a.m. Tuesday when his brother drove from Connecticut to pick him up.
After the crash, police determined the car had been reported stolen, Lacey said.
The driver, Shykeim Edwin Lewis, 19, of Hartford, Connecticut, faces several charges including reckless driving and receiving stolen goods. He was held on $10,000 bond after a Tuesday court appearance. No attorney was listed in online court records.
The car’s three other occupants have not been charged, but police say the investigation continues.
