Toscha Sponsler Pursuit 9/2/17

PURSUIT VIDEO: Toscha Sponsler, 33, of Pollok, stole a patrol unit Saturday following a call of a possible shoplifter at Ulta. After officers ran her down on foot, Sponsler was cuffed behind her back and seat belted into a patrol unit. As officers went through her bags of stolen goods, Sponsler removed her seat belt, slipped her cuffs and climbed through a window partition (roughly 12 inches wide) to the driver's seat. The officer left the partition open to allow her to receive more air conditioning in the back seat and also speak with her through the course of the investigation. The partition windows are, however, shut and locked while in transport per policy. 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 maneuver to make her lose control of the vehicle. Sponsler nearly went head on with two Lufkin officers and a Huntington constable during the pursuit. Throughout the chase, officers could see her reaching for the officer's shotgun which was mechanically locked to the vehicle. She waived medical treatment at the scene and was taken to the Angelina County Jail where she remains on a collective $18,000 bond. Sponsler is charged with escape causing serious bodily injury/threat of a deadly weapon, aggravated assault against a public servant, possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest with a vehicle with a previous conviction and unauthorized use of a vehicle. The Department on Tuesday installed a screw in all marked units that prevents to window partition from opening more than four inches. #policepursuit #highspeedchase #driveitlikeyoustoleit #foolmeonce

Posted by Lufkin Police Department on Tuesday, September 5, 2017