Teresa Webster (Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff”s Office).
A Florida woman is currently behind bars in connection to a multi-state crime spree targeting several big box retailers along one long stretch of a southern federal highway, Louisiana law enforcement say.
Teresa Webster, 56, who hails from Boynton Beach – a medium-sized city in the Miami metro area – was arrested this week in Jennings, Louisiana – a small town located some 35 miles east of Lake Charles.
She stands accused of one count each of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, reckless operation of a vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension, and illegal possession of stolen things, according to the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office.
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The defendant was arrested when local police officers observed a car crash on Interstate 10, authorities say. A vehicle pulling a trailer had tipped over – trapping the occupants, who sustained minor injuries.
When investigators followed up, witnesses allegedly said Webster was the one who had caused the crash by driving erratically.
That crash occurred on July 29, the Jennings Police Department said in a press release issued late this week.
“Officers suspected Webster was under the influence of narcotics,” the press release reads. “She was detained at the scene, and a toxicology screening was conducted. Results are pending.”
As the investigation progressed, officers obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s vehicle, according to police. Inside, they allegedly found drug paraphernalia and items suspected to have been stolen.
“Further investigation linked Webster to a theft of tools from a Home Depot in Slidell, Louisiana, and the theft of a Louis Vuitton handbag valued at [around] $1,350 from a Dillard’s department store in Alabama,” the press release continues.
Police say surveillance footage from multiple retailers showed the defendant’s “involvement” in multiple retail thefts along the I-10 corridor “stretching from Florida to Texas.”
“She has an extensive criminal history across four states, including charges related to narcotics possession and trafficking, retail theft, fraud, and possession of stolen property,” the police department said.
The investigation is said to be ongoing, according to local law enforcement. Specifically, Jennings police are working with various other law enforcement agencies “across state lines to identify additional potential offenses,” according to the press release.
The defendant is currently detained in the Jefferson Davis Parish Jail on $12,500 bond.
