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Woman at large after stealing highway patrol car, striking trooper in Jefferson County

This is the second time in a week that a woman has slipped her cuffs and stolen an MSHP patrol car
Credit: Getty Images

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Mo. — Police are looking for a woman who slipped her cuffs Friday afternoon and struck a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper with his own patrol car before driving away.

According to MSHP, the incident happened while a trooper was investigating a motor vehicle theft on Center Drive near De Soto. A suspect slipped out of her handcuffs and stole the trooper's car. While she was driving away, she struck the trooper, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Jefferson County officers pursued the woman until she crashed the car and ran away. At last update, police were still looking for her.

No suspect description has been provided.

This is the second time in a week that a woman has slipped her cuffs and stolen an MSHP patrol car

Last Saturday in St. Charles County, police said Heather Rene Nesler, 32, was arrested but soon after claimed her handcuffs were hurting her wrists and asked for them to be adjusted. She then asked the trooper to grab her purse from the car she had been in.

The officer adjusted the handcuffs, then went over to get Nesler's purse. That's when Nesler slipped out of her right handcuff and drove away in the officer’s patrol vehicle.

It was later found still running with the keys inside, and Nesler was found hiding in a trash can nearby, police said. She was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest for a felony, attempting to escape from custody while under arrest for a felony, and failure to wear a seat belt. 

This is a developing story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.

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