Woman jailed after fleeing Lululemon, police at 100+ mph

DUPAGE COUNTY, Ill. — A woman has been charged with stealing leggings from a Lululemon store at a suburban mall, then leading police on a high-speed chase.

According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney, 21-year-old Cartara Johnson was arrested over the weekend.

The state’s attorney said on Saturday, officers on patrol at the Oakbrook Center Mall witnessed a woman, who was later identified as Johnson, exit a vehicle with an empty Lululemon branded bad and enter the mall.

According to the state’s attorney, Johnson is accused of entering the Lululemon store, selecting leggings, then leaving the store without paying for the merchandise.

She was then observed returning to her car and leaving the parking lot. Officers followed in their squad car and attempted to pull Johnson’s car over after seeing it swerve “multiple times” before getting on to Interstate 88.

Instead of pulling over, the state’s attorney said Johnson sped away from the officers and led them on a high-speed pursuit that reached up to 116 mph.

Officers abandoned the pursuit out of safety concerns.

A short time later, the car was tracked to North Riverside and police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop again, but Johnson allegedly attempted to evade the stop again by driving onto a resident lawn.

Johnson and her vehicle were eventually located by Stickney police near Central Avenue and Interstate 55, after the car crashed into construction equipment.

Johnson reportedly attempted to flee the scene on foot, but was taken into custody.

Officers searched the vehicle and found the Lululemon bag that contained leggings, that estimated to be more than $300. The price tags were still attached.

“It is alleged that Ms. Johnson, a woman currently on probation for retail theft, helped herself to merchandise from the Lululemon store and simply walked out the door without paying,” –DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “To make matters worse, it is further alleged that she then led police on a dangerous, 116-mph chase in the middle of the afternoon on a busy shopping day in an effort to avoid apprehension.”

Johnson is charged with one count of Burglary, one count of Retail Theft and one count of Aggravated Fleeing and Eluding a Police Officer.

She  is due in court again March 3.