The Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog
When a woman allegedly stole a vehicle and led the police on a high-speed chase, she was detained when she stopped at a McDonald’s drive-thru for an order of chicken nuggets.
On July 6, a Chevy Silverado with the keys in the engine marked with “Raymond James Restoration” was reportedly stolen from a job site in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The owner of the company called the authorities and told them that the vehicle was equipped with a GPS tracking device.
The police were continuously updated with the location of the vehicle.
The driver of the truck pulled over when the police initially initiated a traffic stop. When an officer walked up to the driver, she reportedly drove off before he reached her.
The chase continued, and the Silverado reportedly ran traffic lights and began driving on the wrong side of the street. The vehicle crashed into a stopped car, and three officers were nearly able to approach the driver of the allegedly stolen truck.
The woman reportedly threw the vehicle in reverse and slammed into a police car. One of the officers was knocked down and dragged along with the truck when the suspect drove away.
The authorities decided to decrease the intensity of their pursuit to maintain safety on the road.
They continued tracking the truck with the GPS signal, and the police reported that it was stopped at a nearby McDonald’s.
The officers made their way to the location and found the woman, identified as Johanna Gardell, blocked in the drive-thru and ordering chicken nuggets.
Gardell was taken into custody. She is expected to face charges for failure to stop for police, operating to endanger, a red light violation, leaving the scene of an accident with property damage, leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (a motor vehicle), assault by means of a dangerous weapon (a motor vehicle), malicious mischief to a motor vehicle, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, operating a motor vehicle after her license was suspended, and use of a motor vehicle without authority.
The officer who was dragged by the truck was reported as having non-life-threatening injuries.
The truck was assessed to be totaled.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a criminal offense, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.