Woman threatened police, stole cruiser 
By Courtney Kinney Post staff reporter, KY

A Cincinnati woman remains in jail today after leading Northern
Kentucky police on a two-county chase early Sunday after 
stealing a cruiser.

Boone County Police are not sure why Betty J. Folston, who has  
no outstanding  warrants and a valid driver's license - fled from 
officers, threatened them and then swiped a police cruiser in
an attempt to escape. 

Ms. Folston, 37, was arrested on the Brent Spence Bridge a little 
before 9 a.m. Sunday after a 30-minute chase. 

"We don't know why she ran," said Boone County Lt. Jack Banks.

It all started just before 8 a.m. when a couple called 911 from 
their car to say a woman was following them. Ms. Folston, Banks 
said, approached the couple at the rest stop on northbound Interstate 
75 in Florence and asked if she could follow them to Cincinnati. 
Although they said they weren't going there, Ms. Folston followed 
them onto I-275 west, even when they exited and got back on the 
highway going the other way.

An officer stopped both cars near the Prestonburg exit, let the 
couple go and then went to talk to Ms. Folston. The woman got 
"very agitated," Banks said, and drove off.

Police chased her to the Hebron exit, where she got off and led them
to Ky. 8. When forced into a dead-end, she drove into a field, around
police cars, struck one and kept going. She ran over Stop Stiks, 
spiked rods put out by police, and finally stopped when her tires 
flattened. 

As officers approached her Honda Accord, Ms. Folston got out with
one hand in her purse and the other bracing her hand as if she were
gripping a gun, Banks said. Officers backed off and she jumped into
one of their cars.

Ms. Folston was ultimately stopped on the I-75 bridge when a
Covington police Stop stik deflated a tire.

She is charged with one count each of auto theft, first-degree wanton
endangerment, fleeing and eluding officers, menacing and harassment.
She will be arraigned in Boone County court today.

The chase was atypical, Banks said. The highest speed reached
was 85 mph on I-275. Ms. Folston stopped at all stop signs and
remained at reasonable speeds on secondary roads.

The officers should be commended for the restraint they showed 
when threatened by Ms. Folston, he added.

No gun was found in Ms. Folston's possession, he said.

Publication date: 01-24-00


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