Thief Caught Red-Handed After Trying to Outrun Wyoming Troopers

A woman is facing a felony theft charge after Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers reportedly caught her holding the keys to a stolen vehicle.

According to a booking sheet, it all started at 1:34 p.m. on July 14, 2024, after a trooper was dispatched to a hazardous vehicle at milepost 4 on northbound Interstate 25, about three miles south of Cheyenne, and arrived to find an unoccupied vehicle parked along the west shoulder.

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When the trooper ran the registration for the vehicle through dispatch, the vehicle came back as stolen.

The trooper then searched the vehicle, but there were no keys inside, so the vehicle was towed.

Foot Pursuit Leads to Felony Theft Charge for Colorado Woman

Another trooper was patrolling I-25 when he spotted a woman, later identified as 25-year-old Aurora, Colorado resident Alexandria Fernandez, walking southbound toward the stolen vehicle.

A foot pursuit ensued, but the trooper was able to detain Fernandez, and the initial responding trooper and a lieutenant were able to help him restrain Fernandez, who reportedly had the keys to the stolen vehicle in her hands.

Fernandez was booked into the Laramie County Detention Center and subsequently charged with felony theft, a crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison, up to a $10,000 fine, or both.