Teenage boy dies after allegedly stolen car rolls on major NT highway

A 16-year-old boy has died, and three 14-year-old boys have been taken to hospital after an allegedly stolen car rolled on a major Northern Territory highway.

The crash happened on the Stuart Highway in Katherine, north of the Katherine CBD, at about 6am today.

The 16-year-old suffered critical injuries and was declared dead at the scene, while the younger three were taken to hospital with unknown injuries.

Police are investigating the events leading up to the crash, which acting commander Mark Grieve believes is a “tragic and complex” sequence of events.

“Our investigators will work to establish the full circumstances surrounding these events, and we continue to appeal to anyone with information to come forward,” Grieve said.

Officers were told the group allegedly stole a car from a property on Zimin Drive in Katherine at 10.30pm yesterday.

They believe the occupants of the car travelled to Charles Darwin University, where the vehicle was abandoned and two additional cars were allegedly stolen.

Throughout the night, the cars were observed allegedly driving erratically through the Katherine CBD.

The occupants allegedly attempted to provoke police by baiting patrol vehicles and throwing objects at the cars, which damaged one of the vehicles.

Police said the two cars were allegedly driving too dangerously to follow.

A crime scene has been established and sections of the Stuart Highway remain closed while investigations continue.