High-speed chase ends without injury

By ERIC LINDBERG — March 13, 2010

A 26-year-old woman led officers on a high-speed pursuit along Highway 101 from Santa Maria to Nipomo yesterday morning, hitting speeds of 120 miles an hour before a spike strip deflated a tire on her vehicle.

California Highway Patrol officials broadcasted a “be-on-the-lookout” call for a missing person out of Huntington Beach, Calif., associated with a tan or gold 2007 Mercedes Benz ML 350. Officers used the vehicle’s global positioning system to determine it was in Santa Maria.

Authorities spotted the vehicle entering the Main Street northbound onramp and attempted to pull it over a short distance along the highway.

“Once the officer made contact with the driver, she immediately drove away,” according to a CHP incident report. “The officer got back into his car and pursued her. The driver again voluntarily stopped on the right shoulder just north of the Santa Maria River Bridge.”

This time, a second officer placed his patrol car in front of the Mercedes in an attempt to prevent the driver from fleeing. Nonetheless, the 26-year-old was able to maneuver around the car and fled again.

As officers resumed the pursuit, the driver hit speeds topping 120 miles an hour. A San Luis Obispo CHP officer deployed a spike strip near Tefft Street in Nipomo and succeeded in deflating the Mercedes’ front right tire.

“The Mercedes slowed and eventually began driving at 15 to 20 miles per hour on the shoulder,” according to the report. “The driver exited at Los Berros. Once the vehicle came to a stop, the driver exited the vehicle and began to run.”

The 26-year-old didn’t get too far, as a CHP officer tackled the driver and placed her into restraints. The woman continued to struggle and broke out the rear window of a CHP patrol vehicle.

Authorities took the woman, identified as Jessica Albrooke, of Lake Forest, Calif., to an area hospital for a mental health evaluation and medical clearance. Authorities are considering charges of evading and resisting arrest. No injuries were reported during the incident.

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: 3/13/2010

Either she watches too much television, or she is wacked out.

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