Chicago women allegedly led police on high-speed chase after retail theft

Two Chicago women allegedly led police on a high-speed chase after stealing clothes from a retail store while on pretrial release for theft-related charges, according to authorities.

The DuPage County States Attorney’s Office said 38-year-old Shawanda Outlaw and 27-year-old Destiny Jackson have been charged with single counts of burglary and retail theft, as well as two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer.

The Oak Brook Police Department responded to a report of a burglary/retail theft at 12:30 p.m. Monday, to review footage of the theft.

Responding officers spoke with the loss prevention officer and reviewed security footage, and it is alleged that Jackson and Outlaw entered the store, picked out 18 items of clothing worth $1,674, and went to the fitting room.

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Once in the fitting room, the pair allegedly put the clothing on their bodies in layers and left the store without paying for the merchandise, the state’s attorney’s office said.

Later that day, an officer with the Oak Brook Police Department spotted Jackson and Outlaw in a blue Nissan and activated the emergency lights and sirens to conduct a traffic stop.

But instead of pulling over, the driver, later identified as Jackson, allegedly drove off at a high rate of speed.

Jackson allegedly led police on a high-speed chase, swerving in and out of traffic while also using the shoulder to pass vehicles on multiple occasions. She is also accused of driving into oncoming traffic near a hospital to avoid slower-moving vehicles.

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Police reported that the officer reached speeds of up to 82 mph, though she was not able to gain ground on the Nissan. Jackson eventually drove onto Interstate 290, where her vehicle was boxed in with assistance from the Chicago Police Department.

Police also allege that the two suspects threw merchandise from the store out of the windows while fleeing police.

Jackson and Outlaw were ultimately arrested at the scene.

The state attorney’s office said Outlaw appeared in court Monday morning, and during the hearing the court denied a request to detain the suspect pretrial.

But following the hearing, the state filed additional motions to revoke Outlaw’s pretrial release because of pending cases alleging she stole merchandise from two other stores on three separate occasions. Judge Daniel Guerin and Judge Mia McPherson granted the motions.

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Jackson is currently on parole for aggravated battery to a police officer and retail theft from 2023, yet she was on pre-trial release in Will County for another retail theft case.

During Jackson’s pretrial hearing on Monday afternoon, Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s request for pretrial detention.

 Jackson is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 11, while Outlaw is scheduled to appear Aug. 26.

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin accused Outlaw and Jackson of thumbing their noses at the criminal justice system and allegedly committing another crime while on pre-trial release.

“To further aggravate the matter, it is also alleged that in an attempt to avoid apprehension, the two defendants led authorities on a high-speed chase in the middle of the day, endangering the police officers involved, other motorists, pedestrians and shoppers along the way,” Berlin said. “In DuPage County we have zero tolerance for the type of behavior alleged in this case. The new charges against these women, who were both previously granted pretrial release, illustrates the need for changes to the State’s Safe-T-Act to give judges more discretion at First Appearance Court. 

“Too often, we are seeing repeat offenders released pre-trial because the Act does not allow judges to use their discretion for certain offenses.”

The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (SAFE-T) Act, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2023, overhauled Illinois’ justice system with provisions that granted more freedoms to defendants and reduced certain felonies to misdemeanors. It also lowered the severity of some misdemeanors, like trespassing, and eliminated cash bail across the state.

The SAFE-T Act’s most controversial provision, abolishing cash bail, was delayed due to legal challenges over its constitutionality, but the Illinois Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of the reform. 

It took effect Sept. 18, 2023, making Illinois the first state to fully eliminate cash bail.