Ithaca (WSYR-TV) – Ithaca Police have arrested a woman after she allegedly led them on a chase through the city and beyond driving a stolen van carrying potentially explosive gas.
Police say they were alerted to the vehicle's theft around 3:30 p.m. on Monday and spotted it a few blocks away.
Several police vehicles were directed into the van’s location and tried to pull the driver over without success. The vehicle was marked with hazardous materials placards indicating that it was used to transport oxygen, an explosive gas.
Police say they chased the vehicle through the city and into the community of Cayuga Heights. Multiple agencies joined in the pursuit, including the Cayuga Heights Police Department and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver – 26-year-old Samantha Maynard – finally paused at a traffic light on Route 13 and Warren Road, where she left the vehicle. Police were able to stop the vehicle and take Maynard into custody near the intersection.
They charged Maynard with:
- Grand larceny, third degree, a felony
- Unlawful fleeing of a police officer in a motor vehicle, third degree, a misdemeanor
- Aggravated unlicensed operation, third degree, a misdemeanor
- Multiple other vehicle and traffic infractions
She is scheduled to appear in Ithaca City Court on Aug. 1.
