Suspect steals police car, faces 12 charges

As a criminal defense attorney in the Pittsburgh area for more than a quarter century, I have seen some pretty crazy things and situations that would make most people do a double take upon reading the story. A story out of Beaver County last week is one of those instances. There are now more than a dozen charges that have been filed against a woman from Beaver County is being accused of attempting to escape a shoplifting arrest by stealing a police car. Police say she got into the cruiser still handcuffed behind the back and fled at speeds of more than one hundred miles per hour at some points. The 27-year-old suspect from Beaver Falls was arraigned on Friday on possession of a controlled substance, retail theft, theft, driving with a suspended license, speeding, escape, robbery, reckless endangerment of another person, and four counts of aggravated assault. According to police, the woman stole the Center Township police car after she was arrested at a nearby Kohl’s for shoplifting. Officers say that they had to stop pursuing the woman for safety reasons, but that she eventually ditched the police car in Crescent Township in Allegheny County. Police say she hitch-hiked a ride from a traveler and was eventually picked up again by police in Aliquippa. She is now in the Beaver County Jail on $25,000 bail. Her preliminary hearing is set for 26 January at 9 a.m. in front of Center Township’s District Judge, Joseph Schafer. If you have been arrested in Pittsburgh and are in need a criminal defense attorney, call Gary Gerson for a free preliminary consultation at 412-496-8700 today. Source: TribLive.com, “Beaver County woman who allegedly stole police cruiser while handcuffed faces dozens of charges” 16 January 2015