Traverse City body-cam footage shows teens fleeing officers after alleged car theft

Body-worn camera footage obtained Feb. 19, 2026 and reviewed by local media shows two teenagers identified in court filings as Eugene Thompson, 17, and Hunter Vanderwall, 18, fleeing officers in downtown Traverse City after what court papers describe as an alleged vehicle theft in November. The video frames the moment police encounter the pair and the subsequent flight through a public block in the city center.

Court filings submitted in the months after the November incident name Thompson and Vanderwall and connect the pair to the alleged theft; those same filings provide the identifying information used by reporters to match the footage with the legal records. The files characterize Thompson as 17 years old and Vanderwall as 18 years old, establishing their ages at the time authorities allege the vehicle theft occurred.

The footage was obtained by local media and reviewed on Feb. 19, 2026; the release of body-worn camera video to reporters follows the initial filing of charges that reference the November event. The recordings are now part of the public discussion and appear likely to be considered alongside the court filings in any upcoming hearings that pertain to the alleged theft and the officers’ response.

The November incident took place in downtown Traverse City, and the footage shows public streets and sidewalks where the officers and the two teenagers interacted. The presence of body-worn camera evidence tied to a public downtown encounter adds documentary detail to the court filings and gives prosecutors, defense counsel, and judges visual material to review as they address the allegations against Thompson and Vanderwall.

Residents and city stakeholders can expect the footage and the related court filings to shape next steps in the local legal process. The combination of identified defendants, an alleged vehicle theft in downtown Traverse City, and body-worn camera footage obtained Feb. 19, 2026 frames the factual record that county court officials will examine as the case moves forward.