Two St. Louis women were taken into custody Thursday following a chase with authorities that began in Osage Beach and ended near Eugene in Cole County.
As of Friday afternoon, Te’Jia Caffey, 23, had been formally charged with one count of resisting arrest. Caffey was a passenger in a vehicle driven by Janay Clark, 27.
Formal charges had not been filed against Clark on Friday, but Missouri Highway Patrol arrest reports show she was taken into custody for resisting arrest, speeding, failure to drive on the right half of the road, failing to stop at a stop sign and failing to signal.
Clark and Caffey allegedly stole items from the Dick’s Sporting Goods in Osage Beach and fled the scene in a vehicle, according to a Highway Patrol probable cause statement. Osage Beach police followed them in a pursuit, but terminated it once they got onto U.S. 54.
At U.S. 54 and Missouri 87, a trooper spotted the women’s vehicle and the pursuit began again, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph.
Clark and Caffey got off U.S. 54 at the Missouri 17 exit in Cole County. They went across Missouri 17 and got onto the on-ramp, starting back onto U.S. 54. The vehicle soon hit spike strips, which eventually led the women to stop the vehicle in the right lane of the highway. The women fled on foot into nearby woods but were later taken into custody.
Court records show both women have numerous convictions, all from the St. Louis area. Clark was on probation for receiving stolen property and theft and had three warrants for her arrest. Caffey also was on probation for receiving stolen property and theft, and there was a warrant for her arrest for robbery of a business with a weapon.