Lady really, really didn't want to go back to jail

Samantha Collins previously was arrested and accused of being one of the four Food Depot employees who stole a felonious amount of meat.

Now, Collins is back in trouble again, this time accused of driving drunk and leading deputies on a high-speed chase through the southside before wrecking her pickup truck near the Jones County line. At one point during the chase, a passenger in Collins' truck apparently decided that he didn't trust her driving anymore and jumped.

The incident began at the Jet Foods/old Happy Store on South Wayne Street, when a deputy "entered the tag number of a Chevrolet Silverado" into his in-car computer. The computer then alerted the deputy that the owner of the pickup, Collins, had an outstanding warrant, while also adding that the vehicle had no insurance and suspended registration. The deputy subsequently activated his blue lights, and Collins subsequently "accelerated through the parking lot."

Collins headed south and reached speeds of roughly 80 miles per hour on Irwinton Road, several times "driving in the wrong lane into oncoming traffic." The deputies then began to rally, however, with one laying "spike strips" on Irwinton Road near the bypass. The spike strips didn't completely do the trick, though, and Collins' truck barreled past the bypass and onto the Gordon Highway. Collins then merged onto Pancras Road, which is when the passenger side door "began to open and multiple items began flying out of the vehicle."

A few moments later, an "unknown male exited the vehicle" and began hoofing it. A deputy caught up to the man, however, and he was arrested without incident. He was identified as Christopher Sloan, who also had warrants.

Collins, her truck tires now deflating, made a left on Union Hill Church Road and then onto County Line Road. She ultimately "wrecked into a ditch near the intersection of Bethlehem Road."

Collins, 48, was arrested without incident and charged with DUI, reckless driving, probation violation, fleeing/attempting to elude, as well as a myriad of traffic violations. The incident occurred shortly before midnight on Oct. 17.

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