ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – An Indiana woman led police on a chase around Oakland County after someone caught her stealing from their car at a Rochester Hills gas pump, officials said.
Officials with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office were called at 11:51 p.m. Sunday (Aug. 1) to the Mobil gas station in the 2900 block of Walton Boulevard in Rochester Hills.
A 33-year-old Lapeer man said he walked out of the gas station and saw a woman -- later identified as Colleen Margaret Staker, 50, of Trafalgar, Indiana -- driving his Dodge Dart away from the gas pumps, according to authorities.
The man said Staker stopped in the gas station parking lot and got out of the Dart after taking two wrist watches, cash and a bag of firearm magazines from inside, officials said.
Staker got into a Dodge Ram that was parked at a gas pump, authorities said. She tried to start the Ram and drive away, but it wouldn’t start, the man told police.
The man confronted Staker, and she got out of the Ram, according to officials. She was seen leaving the gas station in a silver or gray Ford F-150 pickup truck, authorities said.
An Oakland County deputy saw the F-150 in a parking lot across the street from the gas station, he said. When he made contact with Staker, she sped away at a high speed, according to officials.
Deputies with their lights and sirens activated pursued Staker west on Walton Boulevard from Adams Road toward Auburn Hills, they said. She continued to drive at a high speed, according to authorities.
Dispatch told deputies that the F-150 had been reported as stolen out of Indiana.
Staker made a U-turn on Walton Boulevard at Squirrel Road and sped east on Walton toward Rochester, with deputies still in pursuit, police said.
Rochester police were called and deployed stop sticks on Walton Boulevard at University Drive, east of Livernois Avenue, officials said.
The stop sticks flattened the F-150′s front tires and Staker continued driving east until she crashed into a brick paver wall at East University Drive and Elizabeth Street, according to police.
Staker was taken into custody at the scene, deputies said. Police impounded the F-150. Alcohol was not a factor.
Staker was not injured, authorities said. She was taken to the Rochester Hills substation to be interviewed before being transferred to the Oakland County Jail.
Staker was arraigned Monday on felony counts of unlawful driving away of an automobile and fleeing and eluding. She has no prior criminal history, officials said. Bond was set at $5,000 or 10%.
The next court date has not yet been scheduled.
You can watch dash cam video of the chase below.