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A police chase involving a woman in a stolen pickup truck ended at a McDonald's drive-thru after she tried to place a food order during the pursuit.
Police in Worcester, Massachusetts say they got a 911 call at about 8:45 AM on Tuesday about a stolen truck. The owner says he witnessed a woman who he didn't know hop into the vehicle and take off. He told police that the truck was equipped with a GPS device and that he was able to see its location.
As officers responded to the scene, another driver flagged down an officer and said that the truck had just struck their vehicle.
A few blocks away, police say 38-year-old Joanna Gardell was spotted inside the stolen truck.
An officer activated his flashing lights and exited his car to approach the driver, but Gardell reportedly drove off. The officer returned to his vehicle and began to pursue Gardell at a low rate of speed.
Gardell then began increasing her speed and allegedly committed multiple traffic violations. The truck drove into the oncoming lane of traffic, hitting a van, and passed through multiple red lights.
“She backed up the vehicle at a high rate of speed and struck a cruiser behind her, and knocked down and dragged one of the detail officers. Officers pursued the stolen vehicle at a low rate of speed before the pursuit was called off for safety reasons,” the department said.
Gardell then reportedly was spotted again, placing an order at a McDonald's drive thru. Two police cruisers approached the stolen truck, and Gardell reportedly struck one of them with intent. She then veered off the road and got the truck stuck in a pile of mulch. After resisting arrest, Gardell was place into custody.
She now faces a myriad of charges, including failure to stop for police, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon malicious mischief to motor vehicle, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and use of motor vehicle without authority, and others.
Source: ABC-7.com