Eldorado couple accused in Franklin Co. theft, wreck

Three different agencies dealt with a couple accused of stealing hundreds of dollars worth of items on Sunday afternoon.

Ann Murray, 23, and her husband, Jerry Murray, 28, of Eldorado are charged with retail theft.

Authorities said the Murrays loaded up two carts of merchandise at the West City Walmart Supercenter, and then pushed them straight out the front door, without stopping to pay.

West City Police Chief Scott Choisser said the Murrays took items valued at $1,800 from Walmart.

But, said Benton Police Chief Michael Andrews, the story didn't end there.

Benton Police were advised that this crime had happened and asked to look for a Blue Ford Taurus. A few minutes later, a Benton Police Officer saw a car matching the description, passing another vehicle on West Main Street.

The officer attempted to pull the car over for the improper passing.

Andrews said his officer pursued the car, which ran through a couple of stop signs before wrecking and rolling over on Petroff Road.

What's more, Andrews said, there were three children in the car, one young enough to be strapped into a car seat.

"So we had to take a young child hanging in a car seat upside down out of a car, because you stole something," Andrews said.

The children were not injured in the incident.

In addition to the retail theft charges filed against the Murrays by West City Police, Ann Murray faces a number of traffic offenses from the Benton Police Department, including improper overtaking, running two stop signs, driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, aggravated fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, and failure to notify the Secretary of State's office of an address change.

Andrews said the Department of Children and Family Services was also notified of the situation, and Ann Murray was charged with endangering the life or health of a child.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office worked the accident scene, which happened outside of the Benton City limits.

Both Murrays were taken to jail.

Authorities said the children were released to the custody of a family member.

Andrews stressed that the situation unfolded quickly, and while the vehicle ran stop signs and did not stop when the officer turned on his lights, the incident was not at high rates of speed and would not be classified as a "chase."

"But something like that just doesn't happen every day in Benton," Andrews said.