Ryan Quinn was killed Oct. 19 during a police chase.

He was driving a stolen car and sped away from police, who attempted to pull him over.

After reaching speeds in excess of 60 mph and maybe approaching 100 mph, Ryan lost control of the stolen Subaru he was driving. His young life ended in a terrible crash.

Ryan’s family is angry. They blame the Lewiston Police Department and the officers who pursued the teenager for his death. In a heart-wrenching account of the accident detailed in Sunday’s Sun Journal, the Quinn family talks about their grief. They want to change the law concerning high-speed pursuits, and they want to hold the police accountable for Ryan’s death.

We understand the outrage and their desire for action. But, ultimately, Ryan made a series of bad decisions that led directly to his death. Nothing can change that.

In hindsight, it’s easy to look at the facts of the case and see error. Ryan was an inexperienced driver – months ago he had destroyed the transmission in his grandmother’s car because he didn’t know how to change gears. He was underage. While no angel, he hadn’t been in serious trouble with the law before. If police had known any of this, the chase might not have happened.

They didn’t.

All they knew for sure was someone driving a stolen car sped away from police, traveling through the heart of the city. A violent felon? A dangerous fugitive? A drug-addled driver? Two patrol cars gave chase while others worked to deploy spike mats that would end the pursuit. Ryan crashed before the mats could be put into place, according to police.

It’s good that the Maine State Police is conducting an independent review of the crash. If police acted inappropriately, there must be an accounting.

Maine police departments are required to have chase policies. But ultimately, the decision to pursue a car is made by the officers on duty.

High-speed chases are almost always a bad idea. As the Sun Journal reported Sunday, there have been about 2,800 high-speed pursuits in Maine since 1994. Of those, about one in four has ended in a crash, 14 with fatalities.

An outright abolition, however, goes too far. While the anger and sorrow today is over a young man’s death, tomorrow it could be caused by a criminal whom police fail to pursue.

Police officers need clear policies that govern high-speed chases and thorough training. Once they have it, they also need the discretion to judge how best to handle a dangerous situation.