Scene were pit maneuver disabled fleeing SUV (Google Street View)
Scene were pit maneuver disabled fleeing SUV (Google Street View)
loading...

Either they just planned it, or they've been doing this at other stores. Judging from their execution and 'getaway' vehicle, could be.

Monday night around 10:39PM Richland police were dispatched to the Walmart on Duportail about an alleged shoplifting in progress. If officers can catch the suspects in the act or before they can get away, they can detain and arrest, unlike some store security.

Just as police entered, a woman later identified as 29-year-old Kaela Lashbrook of Milton-Freewate was seeing fleeing the store, and was named by security as the suspect.

She jumped into an SUV driven by 46-year-old David Guertzen of Kennewick, and they sped away. With officers in pursuit, they exercised futility in trying to outrun the officers.  It appeared Guertzen tried to swerve and hit an officer who was deploying spike strips down the street as they approached. Guertzen slowed down but still led police on a chase that was finally terminated with a pit maneuver near the intersection of Keene and Shockley Road (pictured).  Guertzen is facing a list of charges, while Lashbrook was jailed on the theft charges.

More From News Talk KIT