Police: 2 women arrested after chase in Columbia

Columbia police say they’ve arrested two women after a chase in Columbia that went from the 200 block of Business Loop 70 to the 600 block of Seymour Road.

The incident happened Friday when, according to spokesman Jeff Pitts, an officer noticed a vehicle that matched the description of one stolen out of Cooper County. Police say they determined the car was the one stolen and attempted to pull it over. That’s when the chase began.

The car crashed several minutes later in the 600 block of Seymour Road near Rollins Road. The sergeant said that the car drove into someone’s backyard, but circled back to the front yard and crashed into a ditch.

Both occupants of the car were taken into custody. Rachel Marie Nichole Warren, 23, of Columbia, and Lakrista Leann Bakert, 25, of Marshall, are both accused of tampering with a motor vehicle.

Police found drugs and drug paraphernalia in the car, the sergeant said. The driver also allegedly had two warrants for drug-related crimes out of Cooper and Cole counties.

Officers also found a dog in the car. An animal control officer would take the dog until a family member could retrieve it, police said on scene.

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