Police: Woman steals, crashes cruiser as trooper investigates traffic accident

METAIRIE, La. (WVUE/Gray News) - A woman in Louisiana was arrested after police said she stole and crashed a state police trooper’s vehicle Saturday night.

Louisiana State Police said their troopers, along with deputies from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, pursued and apprehended 24-year-old Bethany Holmes after she smashed the marked police unit into several vehicles during her escape attempt.

Authorities said the woman jumped into the cruiser and sped away while the state police trooper was talking to people involved in a traffic accident he was investigating in the parking lot of a mall in Metairie. The pursuit took place just after 7 p.m.

According to police, Holmes led law enforcement officers on a short pursuit and was involved in “multiple minor crashes” before she was stopped and arrested.

WVUE reports no injuries occurred in the incident.

Police said Holmes was charged with two counts of hit-and-run and single counts of aggravated flight from an officer, theft of a motor vehicle, simple criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, theft of a firearm, reckless operation of a motor vehicle and aggravated battery.

She also was booked with driving without wearing a seatbelt.

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