Bronson mother, daughter face charges after wreck

News

February 19, 2015 - 12:00 AM

A Bronson woman and her daughter face several criminal charges after crashing their vehicle while fleeing officers.
The Iola Police Department reported Tammy Heintzelman, 45, and Chelsea Brantley, 21, both of Bronson, were arrested after they crashed near the intersection of 1800 Street and North Dakota Road, about a mile northeast of Iola.
The report stemmed from an alleged case of shoplifting from Iola Walmart, Police Chief Jared Warner said.
Dispatchers summoned police to Walmart, at which time the two were spotted leaving the store in a vehicle with two toddlers — one 3 years old, the other 9 months — in tow.
“The dispatcher made the officers aware of the children,” Warner said.
After positively identifying the vehicle, an Iola police officer deployed his emergency lights in an attempt to get the vehicle to stop.
It did not.
The officer followed the car, Warner said, until it became apparent the suspects had no intention of stopping.
The suspects traveled along Rhode Island Road before turning south at 1800 Street, northeast of Iola.
By then, the officer could no longer see the suspect vehicle, and he called off the chase.
Another officer on standby at U.S. 54 saw headlights coming from 1800 Street, and headed out when the lights suddenly disappeared.
The officer arrived at the scene to see the vehicle had slid off the road.
Neither Heintzelman nor Brantley were injured, nor were the two children.
The youngsters were taken as a precaution to Allen County Regional Hospital for observation. They later were taken into protective custody.
Heintzelman is being charged with aggravated endangerment of a child, fleeing and eluding law enforcement, theft and criminal trespassing.
Brantley is being charged with child endangerment, theft and criminal trespassing.
Warner said officers take into account varying factors when deciding to call off a pursuit, including road conditions, the severity of the alleged crime, and in this case, having young children involved.
“I thought the officer used good judgment in keeping his distance after they didn’t stop,” Warner said. “He followed with the hopes of resolving the incident, but he did it in as safe a manner as possible.”

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