A 38-year-old Vallejo woman has been arrested and accused of felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon, evading and resisting arrest at the conclusion of a high-speed chase that began on First Street Friday night, Benicia Police Corporal Edward Criado said.

The incident began shortly before 9 p.m. when officers were dispatched to the 100 block of First Street, where a caller had reported a person acting suspiciously.

They approached a woman who matched the description given in the report, but the woman refused to answer. Instead, she left in a black A4 Audi with expired registration tags, Criado said.

Police attempted what Criado called “a traffic enforcement stop,” but the woman ignored the patrol cars’ lights and sirens. Instead, she drove on, first north on First Street.

She then swerved into the southbound lane and sped up, taking aim on one of the police cruisers, Criado said.
From there, he said, she led Benicia Police on a high-speed pursuit through the city until she reached Interstate-780.

After reaching Vallejo, she also drove through Fairfield and Vacaville at speeds exceeding 90 mph, with Vallejo Police joining and California Highway Patrol taking over the chase, Criado said.

Highway Patrol cars pursued the woman into Yolo County, where she doubled back west into Vallejo. The woman finally was stopped at the 5 Star fuel station at 101 Lincoln Road West, Vallejo.

The driver, identified by police as Shera T. Woody, was taken into custody with the help of a Vallejo police dog, Criado said. She initially was taken to Kaiser Permanente, Vallejo, where she was treated for minor injuries from her contact with the dog.

She then was taken to Solano County Jail, Fairfield, where she was booked on the three felony-level charges.
Residents expressed concern Monday that damage to two posts and fencing chain near the Christmas tree at the foot of First Street or to the nearby pier’s restroom doors were related to the chase.

However, Lt. Michael Greene said the two posts had been damaged instead by rot, and that someone had broken into the restroom building to steal bathroom paper.

He said Benicia Parks and Community Services Department employees would be replacing the posts and chain as well as the door.

Nancy Martinez, executive director of Benicia Main Street, 90 First St., said neither the organization’s office building, the historic Southern Pacific Depot, nor the Christmas tree was damaged.

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