By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
A Jacksonville woman accused of shoplifting a cell phone and speaker at the Cabot Walmart Supercenter fled from police on Wednesday morning until crashing into a house at 1804 Neely St. in Jacksonville.
“I was watching TV in the bedroom on the other side of the house. I heard a loud boom and saw blinking police lights out the window,” homeowner Eugene Canon told The Leader. He was not injured.
Redina Green, 33, of 702 Charlotte Circle in Jacksonville was at the Walmart self-checkout registers at 5:12 a.m. and her credit card kept getting declined.
A store employee asked to see the Galaxy S7 cell phone in Green’s hand.
“Let me see if it’s worth it,” Green said.
She then walked out the door with the cell phone and a Bluetooth speaker and into her 2004 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Police were called and found the car going east on Hwy. 5 to Hwy. 367. The officer turned on his lights and siren, but Green did not stop. Green kept going on south on T.P. White Drive, reaching speeds up to 85 miles per hour. She continued on through Jacksonville streets. At Lehman Drive, she reached the T-intersection going 80 miles per hour. She lost control and went into the yard at 1802 Neely St. before making a right turn and crashing into the house on 1804 Neely St. The front half of the car went inside the house.
The officer got out of his car with his gun drawn. Green exited her car and tried to run into the house. She then laid down on the ground screaming near the accident.
Green was taken into custody. No injuries were reported.
Police searched Green’s car and found the stolen items from Walmart valued at $648. They found a clear smoking pipe with brown residue on the driver’s side floorboard.
Estimated damage to the house was $20,000 and damage to the car was $5,000.
Green was charged with felony fleeing; shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia, both misdemeanors.
She was cited for reckless driving, driving 21-30 mph over the speed limit, improper passing and disregarding stop signs.