Denaisha Stephenson, age 29, of Manchester, and Tania Anderson, age 34, of Hartford, were arrested by Greenwich Police on Tuesday, April 20, after responding to a Greenwich Avenue store for a report of shoplifting, said Lt. John Slusarz.
According to Slusarz, officers responded to the store after employees spotted them secreting items worth more than $5,411, into bags they were carrying.
When officers arrived, they approached Anderson and Stephenson who ignored the officers and left the store and entered a vehicle with Stephenson in the driver's seat, Slusarz said.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but Stephenson ignored their orders and sped away at a high rate of speed in an area of heavy pedestrian foot traffic, ignoring stop signs, crosswalks, and other traffic controls, he added.
Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but in the process, Stephenson hit a marked police vehicle twice, Slusarz said.
Stephenson then jumped out of the vehicle and engaged officers in a brief foot pursuit, and then resisting arrest when she was caught, causing a serious physical injury to an officer, he said.
Andeson was placed into custody without incident and charged with:
- Larceny
- Conspiracy to commit larceny
- Organized retail theft
She was held on a $100,000 bond.
Stephenson was arrested and charged with:
- Assault of a police officer
- Interfering with police officers/resisting
- Larceny
- Conspiracy to commit larceny
- Organized retail theft
- Engaging police in pursuit
- Reckless driving
She was also held on a $100,000 bond.
Both are scheduled to appear in court in May.
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