ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A woman was charged with assault and multiple other crimes after police said she chased down her sister's stolen car and shot the two people inside the car after it crashed in Jennings.
Francesca Jones, 32, was charged with three counts of assault, three counts of armed criminal action and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with the incident.
According to a press release from the St. Louis County Police Department, Jones saw her sister's 2020 Dodge Challenger on West Florissant Avenue near the intersection of Goodfellow Boulevard a day after it was stolen. Police said Jones then chased after the car despite having three children in her car at the time.
Police said she followed the car from West Florissant Avenue to Jennings Station Road, and the car then crashed into a truck at the intersection of Jennings Station Road and Fairhaven Drive, less than a mile away. Police said Jones later told them she was trying to ram the Challenger to get it to stop during the chase.
After crashing into the truck, the Challenger ran off the side of the road and caught fire. Police said Jones got out of her car, walked over to the Challenger and shot the two people inside the car. One of the people inside the car shot back at her.
Jones was taken into custody at the scene of the crash. Police said they found her gun in a purse in the trunk of her car.
Police said two witnesses told them they saw Jones shoot at the people inside the car.
Jones' bond was set at $750,000, cash only.
