Jan 10, 2007 By Josh Krysak 4 min read

Two Fayette County women accused of stealing more than $1,200 in merchandise from Wal-Mart in South Union Township early Tuesday were captured by state police after leading officers on a 13-mile high-speed chase. State police said Betsy Pearl Wadsworth, 35, was charged before Magisterial District Judge Joseph M. George Jr. with two counts of aggravated assault as well as single counts of robbery, retail theft, criminal conspiracy, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, criminal mischief, fleeing or eluding police, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving and reckless driving.

Her alleged counterpart, Marlene Jo Ritenour, 32, was charged with robbery, retail theft, criminal conspiracy and terroristic threats for her involvement in the incident, police said.

Both women are known to live in the Connellsville area, but police said they are considered homeless.

The items stolen from Wal-Mart included a desktop computer, cameras, tire gauges, an air pistol, a cooler and several other items, police said.

Trooper James Pierce said the incident began around 2 a.m. when two Wal-Mart employees, Marcus Oudra and Louis Pecjak, told police they saw the women pushing two carts loaded with merchandise around the lawn and garden section of the store on Matthew Drive.

Pierce said the employees then told police that Wadsworth and Ritenour exited the store through a fire exit. Oudra and Pecjak chased them as they fled.

Police said Oudra caught the women in the parking lot before they could load the items into their car. Oudra then grabbed Ritenour by the arm but Ritenour allegedly told Wadsworth to “get the gun,” at which point Oudra and Pecjak told officers they retreated from the vehicle.

The men called police and gave a description of the car, a blue Saturn coupe, as well as a license plate number, Pierce said.

Several minutes later, troopers Jason M. Churney and Creighton Callas spotted the car traveling north on Route 119 in Dunbar Township, Pierce said.

After Churney tried to pull the vehicle over, Pierce alleged Wadsworth and Ritenour led the officers on a chase covering 13 miles of back roads in less than 12 minutes.

Pierce said Wadsworth allegedly cut through a business parking lot and headed south on Route 119 and then cut through a median and onto Oglevee Lane and then onto Crawford Avenue. The car then turned onto Ridge Road, then onto Route 201 and then onto Route 819, police said.

Pierce said the vehicle then made a left turn onto Dickerson Run Road, where trooper Brian King, in another patrol car, had placed spike strips on the road.

The car hit the strips at 2:23 a.m. and nearly struck King, who was standing outside his cruiser, police said.

“The suspects’ vehicle continued to travel on Dickerson Run Road, even though the spike strips successfully deflated the driver’s side rear tire,” Pierce wrote in the criminal complaint.

After making a left onto Route 210, the car cut through a grassy area and careened over an embankment onto Route 201, Pierce said.

Wadsworth then attempted to turn onto Nellie Road, but lost control and nearly struck the guardrails, Pierce alleged.

Wadsworth then put the vehicle in reverse and rammed the police cruiser occupied by Churney and Callas, according to Pierce.

Pierce said Churney then used his cruiser to push Wadsworth’s car into the guardrails, and police were able to take the women into custody at gunpoint.

Following apprehension, Wadsworth allegedly told police after the chase that she did not know why she ran from police. Both women allegedly told officers they had used drugs earlier in the evening, Pierce said.

Police said a warrant will be obtained to search the vehicle for the stolen merchandise as well contraband.

The women could face additional charges pending the search of the car, Pierce said.