[A] southern Vermont man and woman are behind bars on charges of heroin trafficking after a high-speed chase where the suspects allegedly drove more than 130 miles per hour to elude police during a two-state pursuit.
Vermont State Police said troopers found 257 bags of heroin and cash inside a vehicle driven by 26-year-old Jacob McAllister of Westminster and his passenger, 22-year-old Chelsea Ovaitte of Bellows Falls. Troopers report they also found stolen property. Both are being held for lack of bail.
According to a statement by police, McAllister and Ovaitte took off after troopers tried to stop their car on Route 5 near Santa’s Land in Putney during the night of Dec. 21. Police said the two were wanted in connection with an ongoing criminal investigation.
Police said they pursued the car for 15 minutes, with it topping speeds in excess of 130 miles per hour in a 50-mile-per-hour zone in Westminster, before the suspects fled across the state line into Walpole, New Hampshire.
Walpole police joined the pursuit, which ended when the car crashed into several parked cars and a residence. The two suspects fled, according to police.
Ovaitte was caught a short time later hiding under a truck. She was treated for a broken collarbone and jailed in Springfield for lack of $1,000 bail. She was charged with trafficking heroin and violation of conditions of release.
McAllister also fled on foot and was not apprehended until Thursday. He was found hiding in a residence’s garage in Putney after an officer spotted fresh footprints in the snow near the garage. He was charged with heroin trafficking, violation of conditions of release, grossly negligent operation of a vehicle, excessive speed, attempting to elude and operating a vehicle while criminally suspended.
McAllister is being held at Southern State Correctional Facility for lack of $10,000 bail.
Both have initial court dates for early January.
