O'FALLON, Mo. — A St. Charles woman is behind bars after police said she stole a police car and committed several other crimes.
Heather Rene Nesler, 32, has been charged with failure to wear a seat belt, tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest for a felony and attempting to escape from custody while under arrest for a felony.
According to court documents, on February 20 around 6:15 p.m., police pulled over a black Nissan Sentra going over the speed limit while driving westbound on Interstate 70.
Nesler was the passenger in the vehicle. Since both the driver and Nesler were not wearing seat belts, an officer asked for identification.
That’s when the officer discovered Nesler had several outstanding misdemeanor and felony warrants issued by Troy Police Department, O'Fallon Police Department, St Charles County Police Department and Lake St. Louis Police Department.
Nesler was then arrested but soon after asked for her handcuffs to be adjusted due to it causing wrist pain and for her purse to be retrieved from the Nissan she was previously in.
The officer adjusted the handcuffs first, then went over to get Nesler's purse. That's when Nesler slipped out of her right handcuff and drove away in the officer’s patrol vehicle.
With the assistance of the St. Charles County Police Department, the O'Fallon Police Department and Lake St. Louis Police Department, the vehicle was located at 606 Westridge Drive in O’Fallon. They found the vehicle still running but with nothing taken and Nesler was gone.
A St. Charles County Deputy later found her in a trash can a block away at 727 Cordes Street in O'Fallon.
Nesler was again placed under arrest.
