Woman facing 13 charges after allegedly stealing car, leading Petersburg Police on chase
PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- A Petersburg woman is recovering after a carjacking incident that began on her driveway and ended with a crash on Interstate 95 in Richmond. Michelle Murrills said she was approached by 37-year-old Francesca Quesada outside of her home on South Market Street in Petersburg at around 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24. Quesada asked Murrills for a ride, she declined and she left -- however, she returned shortly after and tried to take her car keys, which were around her neck, leading to struggle. “All of a sudden, she’s running back towards me, totally quiet and I had my keys on the lanyard around my neck and so she starts reaching for them," Murrills said. "It was like things are happening and my brain was catching up to it." During the altercation, the struggle caused Murrills' lanyard to break, allowing Quesada to grab the keys and jump into the vehicle. While Quesada was trying to figure out how to start the car, Murrills was on the phone with 911 to report the incident. When Quesada was able to turn the car on, the doors unlocked, allowing Murrills to open the driver's side and try to pull Quesada out, but to no avail. That's when Quesada took off from Murrills' driveway. “She threw my car into reverse and just punched it," Murrills said. Murrills, still on the phone with 911, chased the suspect as she sped off, telling the dispatcher which way she was going. Officers from the Petersburg Bureau of Police caught up with Quesada later that night, but she fled again onto I-95, where she crashed in Richmond while being chased by officers from Petersburg Police and Chesterfield County Police, as well as Virginia State Police troopers. Murrills did not retrieve her car until the following morning around 10 a.m., discovering extensive damage to the vehicle, particularly to the front passenger wheel. (PREVIOUS) Woman faces 11 charges after Petersburg carjacking, police chase and crash in Richmond Quesada, who was also wanted in Henrico County and Colonial Heights for unrelated reasons, is now facing the following charged in Petersburg: Carjacking Hit and run Assault and battery Robbery Destruction of property Grand larceny of a motor vehicle Two counts of assault on law enforcement Reckless driving Failure to comply with law enforcement commands Failure to possess a drivers license Failure to possess vehicle registration Murrills told 8News she's glad the situation didn't turn worse and no one got hurt. A friend has also helped her install bright lights that illuminate her driveway and yard.
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PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- A Petersburg woman is recovering after a carjacking incident that began on her driveway and ended with a crash on Interstate 95 in Richmond.
Michelle Murrills said she was approached by 37-year-old Francesca Quesada outside of her home on South Market Street in Petersburg at around 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24.
Quesada asked Murrills for a ride, she declined and she left -- however, she returned shortly after and tried to take her car keys, which were around her neck, leading to struggle.
“All of a sudden, she’s running back towards me, totally quiet and I had my keys on the lanyard around my neck and so she starts reaching for them," Murrills said. "It was like things are happening and my brain was catching up to it."
During the altercation, the struggle caused Murrills' lanyard to break, allowing Quesada to grab the keys and jump into the vehicle. While Quesada was trying to figure out how to start the car, Murrills was on the phone with 911 to report the incident.
When Quesada was able to turn the car on, the doors unlocked, allowing Murrills to open the driver's side and try to pull Quesada out, but to no avail. That's when Quesada took off from Murrills' driveway.
“She threw my car into reverse and just punched it," Murrills said.
Murrills, still on the phone with 911, chased the suspect as she sped off, telling the dispatcher which way she was going.
Officers from the Petersburg Bureau of Police caught up with Quesada later that night, but she fled again onto I-95, where she crashed in Richmond while being chased by officers from Petersburg Police and Chesterfield County Police, as well as Virginia State Police troopers.
Murrills did not retrieve her car until the following morning around 10 a.m., discovering extensive damage to the vehicle, particularly to the front passenger wheel.
(PREVIOUS) Woman faces 11 charges after Petersburg carjacking, police chase and crash in Richmond
Quesada, who was also wanted in Henrico County and Colonial Heights for unrelated reasons, is now facing the following charged in Petersburg:
- Carjacking
- Hit and run
- Assault and battery
- Robbery
- Destruction of property
- Grand larceny of a motor vehicle
- Two counts of assault on law enforcement
- Reckless driving
- Failure to comply with law enforcement commands
- Failure to possess a drivers license
- Failure to possess vehicle registration
Murrills told 8News she's glad the situation didn't turn worse and no one got hurt. A friend has also helped her install bright lights that illuminate her driveway and yard.
