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", I made my own bad choices. Just like those kids did"

That's the whole problem here, only one kid was driving the car, the other six were innocent passengers who were more than likely screaming for their lives and begging the driver to stop during the chase. They committed no crime. Some of them were only 13. But this is the year 2004, the age of the hardened heart.

If they were afraid for their lives, why didn't they put on their seatbelts?

The other six were not innocent bystanders. They were just as involved in stealing the car as the driver.

I've got a compromise that might keep every one happy:

1. The police shouldn't pursue stolen vehicles at excessive speeds unless there is reason to believe that someone's life is in danger.

2. Anyone participating in the theft of an automobile does a mandatory ten year sentence without parole -- even if the perp is only 13 years old.

3. Anyone who injures an innocent bystander while stealing a car or fleeing the scene of a crime does a mandatory 25 years without parole -- even if the perp is only 13 years old.

4. Anyone who kills an innocent bystander while stealing a car or fleeing the scene of a crime gets tossed into a wood-chipper -- even if the perp is only 13 years old.

Item #4 is particularly noteworthy because it will ultimately be the most effective. After carrying out this kind of sentence just once, there will be no need for hardened hearts because we'll all be living in a world reminiscent of It's a Wonderful Life.

That's the whole problem here, only one kid was driving the car, the other six were innocent passengers who were more than likely screaming for their lives and begging the driver to stop during the chase. They committed no crime. Some of them were only 13. But this is the year 2004, the age of the hardened heart.

You don't know that for a fact do you? IF so, you need to post your source of information. FYI, 13 year olds have committed horrible crimes in the past. These kids paid for it with their lives and that truly is tragic, but in no way is it the fault of the officers involved.

That's the whole problem here, only one kid was driving the car, the other six were innocent passengers who were more than likely screaming for their lives and begging the driver to stop during the chase. They committed no crime.

How did you draw that conclusion?

Perhaps if they, you and everyone would read more of the Bible (instead of being on the internet all of the time), things like this could be avoided.

Here's a passage to start with:

Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, Do not consent.
Proverbs 1:11 If they say, "Come with us, Let us lie in wait for blood, Let us ambush the innocent without cause;
Proverbs 1:12 Let us swallow them alive like Sheol, Even whole, as those who go down to the pit;
Proverbs 1:13 We shall find all kinds of precious wealth, We shall fill our houses with spoil;
Proverbs 1:14 Throw in your lot with us, We shall all have one purse, "
Proverbs 1:15 My son, do not walk in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path,
Proverbs 1:16 For their feet run to evil, And they hasten to shed blood.
Proverbs 1:17 Indeed, it is useless to spread the net in the eyes of any bird;
Proverbs 1:18 But they lie in wait for their own blood; They ambush their own lives.

I don't know what else to say that would benefit. The solution to many of the problems we're seeing can be found in the Bible. However, so few want to read it or have anything to do with God's Word.

You really are clueless. It sounds like enough people have jumped on your case though.
Pursuits at speeds over 50(there are slow pursuits,failure to yield, medical and drunks) result in quick and sudden actions by both the pursued and the cops. All police agencies have pursuit policies that attempt to minimalize the danger to others, if no other reason than to reduce the civil liability from people with your lack of knowledge. It would be completely unreasonable to put the onus on the cop to know who is in the car, their ages, their guilt or innocence etc.
A high speed chase at night with an erratic driver the cop is trying to stay focused on the chase, getting the information out to other patrol cars, determining if he can see the car's tag( if he can get close enough,) calling it in to see if it is stolen, and trying to see if anyone is armed, throwing evidence out the window, etc. He has to worry about other cars, his policy, his safety, whether he will wreck, whether he will be shot and killed, whether his car will be rammed (happens quite often) where his backup is where they could bail, what direction and what roads they may take etc. Now compress this into minutes or seconds.
You look at it after the fact when they pull the bodies out of the creek and then identify them and then find out they are thirteen. It is impossible to place the responsibility of the deaths on the cop. He wasn't driving the stolen vehicle. He didn't want to kill anybody. He want's to stop bad people from committing crimes. He wants to protect people even when they are as completely clueless as you. I would bet this months pay he would have given anything not to have those kids die. He would have rather arrested them. I also know he had to chase the unknown occupants in the stolen car. It was his duty. I know. You don't.