York woman who led 3 100 mph police chases, one with child, was ‘out of control’

A York woman who led police on three high-speed chases in a 24-hour stretch last year, including one with a child, was sentenced to 11 years in prison Thursday.

Stephanie Wilson, 32, pleaded guilty to felony child neglect and endangerment, burglary, and three counts of failure to stop for a blue light, court records show.

Wilson was out on bond in February 2017, on charges of using children to steal jewelry, when she led police on three chases over 100 mph in a stolen car.

Police stopped all three chases for safety reasons, including one incident in which a child was in the car, said Jessica Holland, 16th Circuit senior assistant solicitor.

One of the chases reached speeds of 120 mph, and included Wilson passing a school bus with children on board, Holland said.

The child in the car called 911 during one of the chases to report the incident to police.

“It was evident in all of these chases that Ms. Wilson was a danger to others in the community,” Holland said after court.

Wilson was captured by the York County Sheriff’s Office anti-crime team after she called a York business, asking for money. Police waited at the business and arrested Wilson.

Wilson had stolen a gun and checkbook during the spree, Holland said.

Other charges against Wilson were dismissed in a negotiated plea deal, said Holland and Wilson’s lawyer, 16th Circuit assistant public defender Mark McKinnon.

McKinnon said that the spree of fleeing police came after Wilson admitted in court that she was “out of control” during a two-week stretch in early 2017, when she used illegal drugs instead of prescribed medication.

“Now she is calm and remorseful that this ever happened,” McKinnon said after court.

This story was originally published February 16, 2018 at 9:46 AM with the headline "York woman who led 3 100 mph police chases, one with child, was ‘out of control’."