photo by: Journal-World File Photo

Lawrence Police Department

When a woman at a Lawrence bar discovered her purse — and then her vehicle — missing Thursday night, it set off an investigation that ended in a police chase and wreck.

The woman was playing pool at Empire Bar and Billiards, 925 Iowa St., when she discovered her purse and vehicle were missing and that her credit card had unauthorized purchases at two different businesses in town, according to Officer Derrick Smith.

Smith said in an email:

An officer was dispatched to the bar at about 8:25 p.m. and talked to the woman. About 10:40 p.m., an officer saw the stolen vehicle near 24th Street and Ousdahl Road and followed it.

In the 2100 block of Ousdahl, the vehicle tried to elude police and a pursuit began, ending with the stolen vehicle crashing into a guard rail in the 600 block of Iowa Street.

As the vehicle was coming to rest, it collided with a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. No one was injured.

The suspect, a 30-year-old Lawrence woman, was arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of fleeing police and theft, both felonies.