Mother pleads for mental health services, after son crashes stolen vehicle

Police are investigating a car theft that ended with a crash on Washington and Third Street in Troy.
The victim’s father tells us that his teenage son was held at gunpoint by another teen who stole his car and drove off.

The mother of the driver, Tasheca Medina tells Newschannel 13 that some of the details of the crash are a little sketchy. She says to her knowledge no gun was recovered, but due to the fact this crash is still under investigation we did not discuss specifics.

Police tell us around 10 pm, Wednesday, September 7^th, they got a call about a stolen vehicle.
Officers say when trying to stop the driver, he kept going until he crashed into another car, and then hit a trailer which caused the driver’s car to flip over ending on Washington and 3rd street.

Medina says everything when she heard about the car flipping over, she stopped everything she was doing. “I immediately dropped down to my knees and started praying, she said. No mom should ever have to go through what I experienced last night, and I really feel like it was preventable if someone would have listened to my cries for help for my son.”

Tasheca tells me her son walked away with just a scratch, but he is still detained. She goes on to say in the past 18 months he has watched several of his friends die at the hands of gun violence.

She says she’s been advocating for mental health resources, and trying to get help from Rensselaer Family Court, Rensselaer County District Attorney and CPS. “We have an epidemic in Troy and nobody’s helping and locking them up is not the answer,” she said.

Tasheca tells us she does not wish this on any parent and she’s advocating not only for her son but all parents who are going through something and need help.