Orange Police Officer Narrowly Escapes Being Struck by a Fleeing Shoplifter: Police

Orange police say officers responded to the Kohl’s store on Bull Hill Lane regarding a shoplifting complaint at 8:33 p.m. Sunday.

Officers learned that the suspect, Ashely Staggers, 23, of Greenwood Street in New Haven, had selected $347 worth of clothing and bedding from the shelves and left the store without attempting to pay, police said.

As officers arrived, they saw the arrestee enter a vehicle, so they boxed it in with their cruisers, police said.

One officer attempted to make an apprehension, but the arrestee allegedly reversed her vehicle into the cruiser behind her, then drove forward into the cruiser in front, causing the officer to jump onto the hood of her car to avoid being struck, police said.

That officer fell off the vehicle after impact, police said. The suspect then rammed the cruiser behind her a second time, and was able to exit the parking lot by driving over traffic ‘islands’ and curbs, police said.

Officers then found the suspect’s disabled car a short distance away at different store, crashed in the parking lot, police said.

She was observed trying to run away along Route One, police said.

She refused officers’ commands to stop, so Officer Christopher Brown deployed his K-9 partner Loki to make the apprehension, police said.

Loki stopped the arrestee, and she was subsequently taken into custody and charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree criminal mischief, criminal attempt to assault a police officer, larceny and numerous motor vehicle offenses.

Officers found a small amount of marijuana on the arrestee’s person, and also learned that the New Haven Police held a warrant for her arrest. She was held on bond for arraignment.