Missouri woman, Francesca Jones, was arrested and charged on Sunday, June 18, after she chased her sister’s stolen car and began shooting at the passengers after the vehicle burst into flames. The incident took place just 10 miles northwest of downtown St. Louis.
As reported by KSDK, 32-year-old Jones received three different charges for her actions. She was charged with three counts of first-degree assault, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and three counts of armed criminal action.
According to the St. Louis County Police Department, who responded, Jones spotted her sister’s stolen 2020 Dodge Challenger just the day after it was taken. Although she was with her three children and driving in a quiet St. Louis suburb, she began chasing the vehicle. Her pursuit led to the Challenger smashing into a truck at a busy intersection less than a mile from where the chase began. It caught fire from the collision and Jones’ repeated attempts at ramming the car to force it to stop.
As the driver and passenger of the Challenger tried to climb out of the flaming car to get to safety, Jones began shooting at both them. Reportedly, one of them shot back at her but no charges against the secondary shooter has been identified by authorities yet. Police were called to the scene following reports of the shots fired, and upon their arrival, several eye witnesses recalled what they had seen of the incident.
Police found the gun Jones used during the incident in her purse, placed in the trunk of her car. Currently, Missouri authorities haven’t released the identities of the Challenger’s passengers, and Jones is being held on a nearly $1 million bond, which must be paid in cash. The investigation is currently being handled by the St. Louis County Police Crimes Against Person.
