St. Louis woman accused of leading Coralville Police, State Patrol on car chase after Von Maur theft

Lang
11/15/20

A Missouri woman faces charges that she led police on a car chase after being caught shoplifting at a Coralville department store.

According to arrest records, Coralville Police were called to Von Maur on the Iowa River Landing just after 3:30 Wednesday afternoon for a shoplifter who had left the store. The caller gave a description of the suspect’s vehicle, which arriving officers pulled in front of as it was leaving the parking lot. The driver, later identified as 41-year-old Latonya Jackson of St. Louis, allegedly threw her hands up while still inside her vehicle as if to indicate she didn’t know what to do.

The officer, who already had his emergency lights activated, told Jackson to stop her vehicle. Instead, she allegedly backed up and sped off.

A chase ensued, with multiple Coralville Police units with lights and sirens activated pursuing Jackson onto eastbound Interstate 80. Police say she began weaving between cars to escape pursuit, and the Coralville officers terminated the chase. Jackson was later intercepted by the Iowa State Patrol, who took her into custody after a brief pursuit.

Jackson is charged with Eluding and 3rd Degree Theft. If convicted on both charges, she faces a maximum of three years in prison.