Woman charged in multi-county chase that ended in Maries County

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman was charged after she led law enforcement on a multicounty chase on Monday that began in Jefferson City and ended in Maries County, according to court documents.

Melissa Johnson, 43, was charged in Cole and Maries counties. In Cole County, she was charged with forgery, aggravated fleeing, misdemeanor accessory to identity theft and misdemeanor driving without a license. She is charged with aggravated fleeing in Maries County.

Johnson is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. Court dates have not been scheduled.

One of the probable cause statements claims Johnson tried to cash a $900 check from a deceased person’s bank account at Hawthorne Bank in Jefferson City. Police were called and officers told Johnson she was not allowed to leave and she sped away, the statement says.

The chase continued to Maries County, where a deputy was able to get Johnson to stop by using spike strips, according to the Maries County probable cause statement.