Sponsler made sure that officers were busy going through evidence and then hopped into the driver's seat before speeding away. Photo / Lufkin Police Department
Sponsler made sure that officers were busy going through evidence and then hopped into the driver's seat before speeding away. Photo / Lufkin Police Department
A Texas woman put on a dazzling magic show in the back of a cop cruiser on Saturday, shortly after being arrested on suspicion of shoplifting.
Video released by the Lufkin Police Department shows Toscha Fay Sponsler, 33, being handcuffed on the ground and then put in the back of a squad car while officers examine evidence at the scene.
In that brief period of time however, the dash cam in the vehicle captured Sponsler easily wriggling out of her handcuffs and waiting until the arresting officers were out of sight before hoping over the divide and driving off in the police cruiser.
Her second-act attempt at a disappearing act fell short however as she crashed the car after a 23-minute chase during which she hit speeds of up to 160kmh.
She was arrested for sholifting. Photo / Lufkin Police Department
She is seen slipping the handcuffs off and sliding into the driver's seat. Photo / Lufkin Police Department
Sponsler then led police on a 160kph chase. Photo / Lufkin Police Depertment
Officers noted that during the chase she could also be seen grabbing for the gun inside the car, which was mechanically locked to the vehicle.
Sponsler is now in jail on $18,000 bail and with a laundry list of additional charges, including five felony counts of escape with the threat of a deadly weapon, aggravated assault, unauthorised use of a vehicle, possession of methamphetamine and evading arrest.
Sponsler was picked up just before 5pm on Saturday in response to a call of a possible shoplifter at the beauty chain Ulta.
Officers had to run her down on foot before they were able to get her to the ground and cuff her near the scene.
She was then put in the back of the patrol unit, where officers placed a seat belt over the already handcuffed suspect.
Sponsler got to work wriggling out of her confines soon after while police were busy searching through bags of stolen goods.
The chase that followed however could have ended with a far different, and possibly fatal, outcome however according to the officers.
It ended with police smashing the driver's window and pointing a gun at Sponsler. Photo / Lufkin Police Department
'She then led officers on a 23-minute, 100 mph chase that began at Ulta and ended in Zavalla after a DPS Trooper used a PIT manoeuvre to make her lose control of the vehicle,' wrote the Lufkin Police Department on their Facebook account.
"Sponsler nearly went head on with two Lufkin officers and a Huntington constable during the pursuit."
The post then stated: "Throughout the chase, officers could see her reaching for the officer's shotgun which was mechanically locked to the vehicle."
Sponsler even managed to avoid a spike strip that was thrown across the road in front of her vehicle.
After the cruiser had crashed into a tree on the side of the road, multiple officers surrounded Sponsler with guns drawn, with one breaking through the window and pulling her out of the unit.
She was then cuffed on the ground for the second time that day.
Sponsler refused medical attention in the wake of the crash and was taken to Angelina County Jail.
Sponsler is being held on $18,000 bail. Photo / Angelina County Jail
She remains there four days later as she has yet to pay her bond, with varying amounts applied to five of her charges.
The Lufkin Police Department meanwhile said they have also learned a valuable lesson after the incident, posting a video of one cop drilling in a tactical window between the front and backseats of the cars so an incident like this will not happen again.
