Following a high-speed pursuit that resulted in a collision and their arrest inside grocery store restrooms, a Chicago man and woman are accused of stealing electronics from a Best Buy in the suburbs.
Autumn Provine, 21, was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, a Class 4 felony, and 19 minor and petty traffic charges when she appeared in court on Saturday.
According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, the driving offenses include utilizing hazardous tires, incorrect lane usage, and trying to flee the scene of an accident that results in harm or death.
Frank Cerda, 30, her co-defendant, also showed up in court and was accused of a Class 3 felony, one count of retail theft.
The allegations are related to an incident that happened at a Bloomingdale Best Buy shop on Friday night.
Cerda took two Polaroid cameras, film, and a Shark hair dryer, which came to $621.97, according to the prosecution, and left the store. Then he climbed into the passenger side of Provine’s black Lexus RX300.
An officer tried a traffic stop after spotting the car heading east on Army Trail Road close to Gladstone Drive. Provine allegedly ran up to 55 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to the prosecution.
Provine proceeded south on Glen Ellyn Road despite the police inflating a rear tire with a spike strip. The pursuit was stopped by the officers, but six minutes later, Glen Ellyn police found the Lexus and made an unsuccessful stop attempt as well.
The Lexus was reported to Lombard police at 6:33 p.m. for involvement in a three-vehicle collision at Main Street and Roosevelt Road.
They took one person to the hospital. At first, their condition was unknown.
Authorities claim that Provine and Cerda fled the collision on foot and went inside a Jewel-Osco on South Main Street. They were then apprehended after being discovered in separate restrooms.
Prosecutors say Provine will be held until her next court appearance. Cerda’s release was contingent on him not going into any Best Buy locations.
