ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — A Houma woman led Northshore police on a chase down Highway 190 after stealing a car from the Slidell I-10 rest area.
According to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, 41-year-old Regan Collins stole a car that had been left running at the I-10 rest stop in Slidell around 2 p.m. on July 13. The car’s owner told police that he left his work truck running while he used the restroom and came out to find it gone. Police say Collins left her own vehicle at the rest stop.
Police say Collins drove the truck through New Orleans, then back into St. Tammany on the Causeway Bridge. Police were tipped off that the stolen vehicle was spotted heading north on the Causeway around 3:30 p.m. and dispatched units to the north end of the bridge to stop her.
According to police, Collins drove past them and lead police on a chase down Highway 190.
Collins eventually pulled over in a gas station just north of I-12 and was taken into custody without incident, according to STPSO.
She was booked with theft of a motor vehicle, aggravated flight from an officer and driving under suspension. She was also charged with possession of methamphetamine after police found meth inside her abandoned vehicle.
“This was a crime of opportunity,” Sheriff Randy Smith said. “Please never leave an unattended vehicle unlocked and running no matter how short of time you think you are going to be gone.”
