Lancaster Woman Held After 55-Mile Chase

A Lancaster woman was arrested Tuesday after leading California Highway Patrol officers on a 55-mile, high-speed chase from Gorman to Edwards Air Force Base, a CHP spokesman said.

Jill Smith, 32, was being held without bail at the Antelope Valley Sheriff’s Station on suspicion of felony evading and child endangerment because her 9-year-old daughter was in the car, CHP Officer Miguel Siordia said.

Smith also faces possible charges of possessing a stolen vehicle, because she was driving a rental car due to be returned Tuesday in Dallas, Ore., and possessing illegal drugs, because authorities seized drug paraphernalia from the car, Siordia said.

Smith’s daughter was turned over to the Los Angeles County Children’s Services Department, he said.

The chase began on the Golden State Freeway near Gorman after Smith passed two CHP patrols at an estimated speed of 90 m.p.h. She led officers from the freeway to California 138, to California 14, then to the Air Force base, sometimes traveling 100 m.p.h., Siordia said.

After Smith entered the base, she obeyed Air Force guards’ signals and stopped her car.

Siordia said authorities were not sure why Smith obeyed Air Force personnel after evading the CHP. She was uncooperative with the CHP and said she wanted to talk to the FBI, he said.