By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater — A 29-year-old Stillwater woman has been charged with felony attempting to elude police from 6th and Murphy to 19th and Sangre by speeding, passing in no-passing zones, and driving left of center into oncoming traffic, along with misdemeanor counts of driving on a suspended license and shoplifting from Walmart on W. Sixth Street.
If convicted of a three-count charge filed last week, Destri Sharie Vester could be incarcerated for six years plus 30 days and fined $6,000. She remains free on $15,000 bail pending a March 14 court appearance with an attorney.
“She drove in a manner that caused her to leave 340 feet of skid marks before she crashed into a power pole at an intersection that was occupied by at least three other vehicles,” at 19th and Sangre Road at about 3:19 pm on Feb. 25, Stillwater Police Officer Justin Sappington alleged in an affidavit.
After the officer was dispatched on a possible shoplifting at Walmart by a suspect in a white Nissan Murano that had left the parking lot to the east, “I arrived on scene almost immediately and observed a vehicle matching that description driving at a high speed south on Murphy Street approaching 6th Ave.
“I attempted to stop the vehicle by activating my emergency lights and sirens at 6th and Sangre. The vehicle fled from me in a reckless manner with wanton disregard for public safety…Vester was driving at +90 mph in a 40mph zone. She overtook vehicles in a no passing zone. She entered oncoming traffic (southbound in northbound lanes) while oncoming traffic was present,” the officer alleged in his affidavit.
“There was approximately $600.92 worth of stolen Walmart merchandise recovered from the crashed vehicle. I later discovered Vester had a suspended driver’s license during the pursuit,” the officer alleged in his affidavit.
