MUNCIE, Ind. — The woman who allegedly fled from police Tuesday before crashing into another car at a downtown Muncie intersection has three pending felony cases, authorities said. She's accused of dealing cocaine and other drug charges.
Prosecutors filed a motion to revoke her bond in August but the judge in the case did not set a hearing until October, and then the woman did not show up for court.
"I think the frustration is that, you know, we have a pending felony case, the offender allegedly commits a new felony case. We take immediate action and file a motion to revoke bail to have them incarcerated. And we're given a hearing, we're given a hearing date two months down the road where the offender fails to appear," said Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman.
Police were trying to arrest her around noon on Tuesday near the intersection of Memorial Drive and Gharkey Street.
(NOTE: 13News does not name suspects in cases until formal charges are filed by prosecutors.)
Police say they had information that the woman was armed with the rifle and had made threats toward officers if they tried to apprehend her. Officers said they tried to pull her over in Muncie, but she took off toward downtown.
Officers pursued her for about two miles before the Ford Escape allegedly ran a red light and T-boned a white Acura. The car hit a handrail and rolled on to its roof. A female driver was taken to the hospital. The passenger, 30-year-old Javonta Jones, died at the scene.
"It's unfortunate that, from time to time, innocent people get hurt. It really is. It's sad. It's tragic," Hoffman said. "But a review of the case law shows us that courts, appellate courts at both the federal and the state system, they've said that police officers, quote, may and ought to pursue fleeing suspects, and I think as a society we should expect nothing less."
The suspect received medical treatment and is now in jail awaiting new charges.