A short police chase that reached speeds up to 70 mph ended with a surprising discovery — troopers found a 12-year-old girl behind the wheel, Utah authorities reported.

Troopers tried to pull over a black Honda Civic with no lights at 11:37 p.m. Thursday, March 7, in Salt Lake County, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a news release.

Other motorists had reported the vehicle drifting in and out of the carpool lanes on Interstate 5, troopers said.

The vehicle sped away when a trooper tried to stop it, leading a chase at speeds between 40 mph and 70 mph, the agency said.

Another trooper deployed a spike strip, which had no effect, before a pursuing trooper tapped the vehicle’s bumper, causing the driver to lose control, the agency said.

The 12-year-old girl found behind the wheel took the vehicle without her mother’s permission, troopers said. She was returned to the custody of her parents.

Charges will be determined by the juvenile court system, troopers said.

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