Prosecutors say two Zion women were arrested after they stole merchandise from Macy’s and then led police on a high-speed chase that ended in a crash in DuPage County.
Asia Wallace, 32, of Zion, and Kayshanda Outlaw, 24, of Zion, were both charged with one count of burglary, a Class 2 felony, and one count of retail theft, a Class 3 felony.
Wallace faces an additional charge of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, a Class 4 felony.
The charges stem from a retail theft in progress call that the Oak Brook Police Department was called to at Macy’s in Oak Brook Center around 3:41 p.m. Saturday.
Prosecutors said Wallace and Outlaw selected numerous items of children’s clothing and exited the store without paying for any of the items.
Outlaw allegedly exited with merchandise valued at approximately $839.15 and Wallace allegedly exited with merchandise valued at approximately $625.50.
Both women entered a silver Hyundai Sonata, with Outlaw driving, and attempted to flee the scene, prosecutors said.
Oak Brook officers used a marked squad car to attempt to block the Hyundai. Outlaw sideswiped the squad car as she sped to the exit of the parking lot.
Officers activated their emergency lights and sirens and initiated pursuit of the suspects northbound on Route 83.
During the pursuit, Outlaw reached speeds of approximately 90 mph, prosecutors said.
Outlaw exited Route 83 and continued to flee eastbound on Butterfield Road where she lost control of the vehicle and crashed into another vehicle at Butterfield Road and Prospect Avenue.
Both women fled the vehicle on foot but were taken into custody after a brief foot pursuit, prosecutors said.
The driver of the impacted vehicle was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
“The allegations that in the middle of the afternoon these two defendants stole more than $1,400 worth of merchandise from the Oak Brook Macy’s and then side-swiped a squad car before leading authorities on a high-speed chase are extremely disturbing,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said.
“To make matters worse, it is alleged that Ms. Outlaw not only crashed her car into an innocent motorist’s car, sending the driver to the hospital with minor injuries, but she did so in a largely residential area in front of a school,” Berlin said.
The state’s attorney said he is thankful that the motorist was not seriously injured and that no other innocent motorists or pedestrians were injured or killed.
Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis called the incident another example of “criminals having the false belief that there are no consequences for their criminal actions when they flee from the police.”
“That may be true in other areas, but it’s certainly not the case in Oak Brook and DuPage County. The fact that this offender attempted to ram a squad car to make good on an escape after committing a burglary just shows her utter disregard for law enforcement and for public safety,” Strockis said.
A judge denied the state’s attorney’s office’s petitions to detain Wallace and Outlaw pending trial.
They are both scheduled to appear for an arraignment hearing on July 29.