Arizona Department of Public Safety pursuit ends in arrest of Colorado Woman

On Thursday May 20, 2010, at approximately 10:20 a.m., the Arizona Department of Public Safety was notified by the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Department of a vehicle that had refused to yield for a traffic stop. DPS units located the suspect vehicle on southbound 1-17 and attempted to pull over the vehicle which would not stop. The vehicle, a 2010 Ford Focus, exited the freeway at New River. DPS units terminated the pursuit and alerted the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department. The suspect vehicle then re-entered the freeway at Daisy Mountain at which time DPS resumed the pursuit.

The Ford Focus was traveling at speeds greater than 105 miles per hour. DPS Air Rescue Ranger Helicopter was overhead at this time monitoring the pursuit. As the vehicle entered the Valley, stop sticks were deployed at Greenway. Three of the suspect vehicle’s tires were punctured. The vehicle exited at Cactus Road. The suspect, Janelle Simpson, 37, of Carbondale, Colorado, exited the vehicle in the middle of the road and then tried to carjack another vehicle nearby using no weapons. At that point a DPS officer with assistance from MCSO and Phoenix Police took Simpson into custody.

Simpson will be booked into the 4^th Avenue Jail on the following charges:

Felony Flight

Driving while Impaired

Third Degree Burglary (for the attempted carjacking)