A woman arrested for a series of crimes that ended with victims being dragged by cars told authorities she did it to get money for drugs, police said.
On Monday, police tracked Jennifer Gentry to a Mesa apartment at 1821 E. Covina St., where they arrested her as she attempted to leave on a bicycle.
The 26-year-old was booked into jail on suspicion of unlawful flight from law enforcement, two counts of aggravated assault and three counts of theft.
She had eluded police, fleeing in stolen vehicles, and in one case following a crash she escaped on foot, said Mesa police spokesman Jerry Gissel.
Authorities say that on Nov. 6 Gentry jumped into a Nissan Altima a man had left running outside the Circle K, 1145 W. Main St.
As she was making her escape, he grabbed the passenger side door and was knocked down and dragged a couple of feet, Gissel said.
On Nov. 20, Gentry, armed with a handbag, was taking liquor from CVS pharmacy, 305 E. Brown Road, when a manager spotted her and followed her outside.
She entered a previously stolen Pontiac Grand Am and he confronted her as she put the car in reverse, Gissel said. A car door dragged the manager several feet.
Police connected her to the scene using mail in the handbag she had dropped.
