A 15-year-old boy is in a critical condition at Canberra Hospital after being found unresponsive next to an upturned car on Adelaide Avenue early this morning, 17 April.

After 5am, ACT Policing were called to the scene where the boy was found “five to ten metres” away from the reported stolen vehicle, a white Toyota Camry, on Adelaide Avenue near State Circle.

“A white Toyota Camry was located upturned in the middle of the road and quite clearly had been involved in a very significant motor vehicle accident,” Acting Inspector Mark Richardson said.

“A young male person was located on the road, a very short distance away from the vehicle and was very badly injured and unresponsive.”

“That young male was taken to Canberra Hospital and is currently in a critical condition.”

“Subsequent inquiries from a city police revealed that the young male was on bail subject to conditions and was in fact in breach of those bail conditions. And those are conditions related to similar offending.”

“Police are unsure of any other involvement of any other vehicles or any other persons and that obviously forms part of the inquiries that our major collision unit are undertaking now.”

Mr Richardson said they were unsure whether the boy was a driver or passenger in the vehicle, or if others were in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

“Given the person was found outside of the vehicle, it’s difficult to say with 100 per cent certainty that they were the sole occupant at this point in time,” Mr Richardson said.

“Having seen the collision, I think we could certainly say speed was a factor as the vehicle was absolutely destroyed. In terms of whether other vehicles were involved, we cannot say at this point in time.”

Mr Richardson described the boy’s condition as “critically unwell” and it was possible that he had been flung through the windscreen on impact.

The vehicle had been reported stolen just days prior to the accident and had been involved in a number of failed stops with police since.

Earlier this year, a 19-year-old man was killed in an incident involving a stolen car being driven by a 14-year-old boy. Mr Richardson said he is concerned by the behaviour.

“I think it’s really concerning. We see this quite frequently. Young people driving around in stolen motor vehicles, no regard for the community. No regard for other drivers. Obviously, no adherence to any of the road rules,” Mr Richardson said.

“And the age of these people is really, really quite concerning. I mean, these are 14 and 15 year old children that are that are doing these activities. And really, the outcomes from some of these incidents are quite tragic.”

Adelaide Avenue is now reopened after being closed for much of the day.

Just last month, a pedestrian was struck on Adelaide Avenue and was taken to hospital in a serious condition.