BEECH GROVE — A Tennessee woman has been charged in connection with a police chase and subsequent crash that resulted in the death of an elderly driver.
Angela Taylor, 45, of McDonald, Tenn. is accused of leading Beech Grove police on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle in late April that caused the crash which killed Patricia Cloud, 76.
The chase started about 12:18 p.m. when police were dispatched to the Fifth Third Bank at 4810 S. Emerson Avenue for a report of a person trying to withdraw money with a stolen debit card, according to a probable cause affidavit.
The suspect, later identified as Taylor, was seen leaving the bank in a black Hyundai leaving the bank. Officers then followed her south on Emerson Avenue before she accelerated and started weaving through traffic, at which point an officer activated their vehicle's emergency lights and siren.
Shortly afterward, Taylor drove through a red light at the intersection of Thompson Road and Emerson Avenue, where she collided with Cloud, who was driving a Mercury Grand Marquis, according to the affidavit.
The crash sent the Marquis through the intersection, over a curb and into a landscaped area of a nearby Walgreens.
A pursuing officer then called medics to the scene before noticing Taylor got out of the vehicle and held her at gunpoint. She was then taken into custody. A purse was later recovered from the Hyundai that contained a debit card, an uncashed check with Taylor's name on it, as well as suspected methamphetamine and paraphernalia.
Further investigation showed a false Indiana plate was put over the Hyundai, which had been stolen from an Enterprise Rent-A-Car location. Additionally, Taylor had used the debit card to withdraw a total of $9,500 at four Fifth Third Bank locations across the area, according to the affidavit.
Cloud was pronounced dead on April 29 by the Marion County Coroner's Office due to blunt force trauma. She had suffered a lacerated liver with internal bleeding, five broken ribs and a cracked vertebra in her neck.
Taylor is charged with one felony count each of resisting law enforcement, forgery and possession of methamphetamine.
An initial court appearance has yet to be scheduled on her behalf.
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