In Gainesville, Florida, a woman found herself in a bind after a series of reckless choices led to her arrest. Tia Misel Cooks, 32, was taken into custody yesterday following an incident involving a parking boot and a dramatic escape attempt that ended with a police chase.

The chain of events began around 3:29 p.m. on January 9, when a tow truck driver notified a Gainesville Police Department officer. The driver had placed a parking boot on a white Toyota Corolla parked illegally in a tow-away zone on SW 2nd Avenue. According to the truck driver, Cooks drove off with the boot still attached, causing damage to the device in the process.

In response, an officer quickly attempted to initiate a traffic stop on the Corolla as it was spotted in the 100 block of SW 6th Street. However, the driver, later identified as Cooks, refused to pull over, prompting the officer to terminate the pursuit for safety reasons.

Not long after, the police department reportedly received several calls from concerned citizens. Witnesses reported seeing a white Corolla recklessly speeding and dangerously crossing a double yellow line to overtake other vehicles.

Multiple calls were reportedly received a short time later about a white Corolla driving at a high rate of speed and crossing a double yellow line to pass other vehicles.

Officers reportedly found the Corolla at NW 73rd Avenue and NW 49th Street, and the car pulled over; the tow truck driver reportedly identified the driver, Cooks, as the person who had driven away with the parking boot on her car.

Cooks reportedly told an officer that she had returned to exchange words with the tow truck driver before leaving the downtown area, and she showed the officer a video of the conversation; she said she left the area after that.

Cooks reportedly admitted to an officer that she had fled from the traffic stop because she “felt like she did not need to stop because she did not do anything.” She also reportedly said nobody else drove the Corolla that day.

Cooks has been charged with fleeing from a police officer and misdemeanor property damage. She has no criminal convictions, but she is on pre-trial release on charges of property damage and trespassing after a warning. Judge Donna Keim set bail at $11,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.