Chief's car rammed in pursuit of woman

7/28/2005

An East Toledo woman is accused of snatching a purse in Northwood, hitting two vehicles with her pickup truck - one of them the Northwood police chief's car, and leading officers from three jurisdictions on a two-mile chase that ended on the east side when her truck slammed into a utility pole.

Desirae Strauss, 27, of 30 Garfield Pl., was charged with aggravated robbery, felonious assault on an officer, failure to comply with a lawful order, and receiving stolen property, Northwood police Sgt. Trent Schroeder said.

She was arraigned yesterday in Perrysburg Municipal Court and is being held in the Wood County jail in lieu of a $50,000 bond.

Police said a woman approached another woman in the parking lot of The Pharm, 2674 Woodville Rd., Northwood, about 1 p.m. Tuesday, pulled a handgun, demanded and received her purse, and then fled.

Minutes later, police were told that a woman matching the robber's description - a white female with long hair and glasses in a small-size, dark pickup truck - was at Meijer, 1725 South Wheeling St., Oregon.

Among those trying to apprehend her was Northwood police Chief Jerry Herman. As officers approached the woman, she got into a pickup truck and rammed the chief's car and that of another person, Sergeant Schroeder said.

As she fled, officers from Northwood, Oregon, and Toledo joined in the pursuit. She crashed into the utility pole near Albert Street and East Broadway and attempted to flee on foot but was caught, Sergeant Schroeder said.

A pellet gun was found in the truck; the stolen purse was recovered.