Columbia woman charged after allegedly ransacking convenience store
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Columbia woman was arrested and charged on Tuesday after allegedly ransacking a convenience store and causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.
La Shaunda Angeline Johnson, 31, was charged with first-degree property damage, misdemeanor stealing and first-degree trespassing, a misdemeanor. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been set.
According to the probable cause statement, police were dispatched to the Eagle Stop Gas Station in Columbia for a call indicating that someone was destroying the entire store. Officers saw two broken windows, glass scattered and most of the store ransacked, with items broken all over the floor, the statement says.
An employee at the store allegedly told police that Johnson entered the store at 7:43 a.m. and he told her to leave. The probable cause statement says Johnson was trespassed from the business in June and was told to not return. The employee then said Johnson then went behind the counter and stole two packs of cigarettes before breaking multiple items, the statement says.
The probable cause statement says Johnson allegedly:
- Caused $1,500 of damage to a cash register;
- Broke $3,000 worth of liquor;
- Damaged two drink machines valued at $20,000; and
- Caused $2,000 of damage to general merchandise.
A witness stated they pulled into the parking lot and saw Johnson get into a white Chevrolet truck and drive away. The witness followed Johnson to her address while talking to another Columbia police officer on their cellphone, the statement says. She was arrested at her residence.
Johnson allegedly told police that she didn’t want to talk, but made “spontaneous utterances” claiming she was at the gas station and was upset, the statement says. She allegedly told police she “tore up the store” because she thought the employee was taking photos of her and harassing her, the statement says.
